Konoha River Murders
by nelliizm
Summary: When Hinata hears knews that her sister has been murdered, she makes the five hour trip to identify her body. Little did she know was that she was going to be charged with killing her own sister. Slow developing Hinata & Naruto. AU
1. Murder Cold Blood

The rain pounded hard on my windscreen while I drove through the storm. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by the loud rumble of thunder that roared so loudly that my car shook along the road. Such a fitting scene for the day that I had just endured. Everything felt so grim and depressing and when I woke up this morning, I didn't expect it to be a reality.

It all started with a phone call, one from my cousin who worked for the local police department. He was an Investigator and mainly spent his time away from his family, keeping his mind and body focused on his job. I was a little surprised to hear his voice, it had been a few years since I had heard it, and sadly his tone was not of the happy sort.

"Neji?" I asked warily.

"Hinata, I have some terrible news."

Our conversation didn't last much longer than that. I quickly readied myself, mustering all the strength and boldness I could as I made the three hour trip north. I didn't really believe what Neji had said; I couldn't believe it. Who would want to hurt my little sister?

The rain thundered down on the roof of my car, the three hour trip taking nearly five. The land of fire was going through a series of storms, and it had been a few weeks since we had some real sunshine. Like I had mentioned before, the setting in this land was grim and depressing, but it usually wasn't what it seemed. We were still living happy lives, my friends and I, it was just that I was no longer accepted as the heir to my fathers fortune. Hanabi was.

I pulled up to the eastern river where Neji had told me to. Squad cars were surrounding the river, while 'danger' ropes boarded where the scene was at hand. Men in dark suits and men in uniform were all looking down to the water, umbrellas covering their heads while rain poured off of them like waterfalls.

My heart was beating fast, and I didn't realize how worried I really was. The information Neji had given me didn't really give me an insight on what was really going on. I understood the desperation, for Hanabi's sake, but the seriousness of this case seemed to be more dull than I would have thought.

With a deep, reassuring breath, I pulled an umbrella out from the back of my car and made my way over to the men in uniform. I could barely hear my feet patting along the ground the rain was pouring so hard, but the men seemed to hear me perfectly.

I paused a little, all I could see was the darkness of their features as they stared at me like I was a foreigner. One man stood out, his pale eyes, so familiar to my own came forward.

"_Hinata,"_ Neji said under his own umbrella, pulling at his dark tie that complemented his suit perfectly.

"_Neji,"_ I tried to smile, but under the circumstances I couldn't make myself do it.

He came closer to me then, our umbrella's colliding as he pulled me into a hug. He lightly kissed my cheek before pulling away, leaving a reassuring hand on my shoulder. _"I'm sorry we have to meet on such difficult terms."_

"_It's okay,"_ I nodded lightly. _"I understand."_

"_You probably shouldn't see her,"_ his gaze drifted to the storming river._ "She's in bad shape."_

I didn't drive five hours for nothing, I was determined to see what I came here for, whether the scene was horrible or not. Hanabi was my sister, and I was going to do this for her. Even if it meant I had to crawl out of my comfort zone.

"_I have to do this Neji. If I don't, what kind of sister does that make me?"_ I muttered over the sound of the pattering rain.

"_A brave sister that did her best to protect her, to show her that life wasn't all about money."_

There was some truth in what he had said, even if he had been away for several years. Neji seemed to understand me more than he did my father and my sister. We were much more alike than people generally thought. I wasn't too bothered that I was cut off from my fathers money, I had a job as a journalist and it paid well. I was only bothered that my father didn't believe I had the mental capacity to process the amount of money he had left for me. Well, for my sister.

"_I'm not sure that I was able to teach her much about that,"_ I said regretfully. _"Father kept a tight leash on Hanabi. We never saw much of each other after they moved away."_

"_Do you find it hard? Living in the city by yourself?"_ Neji asked sympathetically.

I shook my head. _"No. I have my friends, the same friends we grew up with when we were all young."_

He smiled a little then, as he tilted his head in the direction of the river. I held a breath lightly as I followed my cousin, past the squad cars, past the men that whispered strangely as I walked past; past that ropes that said 'danger'.

Neji stopped at the edge of a small cliff, his long hair blowing in the vicious wind. I came to a stop by his side, tightening my grip on my umbrella as it threatened to be blown away. Down below the brown water crashed and flooded up the banks, pushing up logs and branches that had been snapped off trees.

I didn't see her at first, I was too busy focused on how fast the river was flowing, but as I looked closer, closer to the bank, she was there.

Her brown hair was scattered on the rocks, drifting with the water as it came up the banks. One of her arms were contorted in a strange way, almost as if it were broken, while blood mattered over her face in large patches. My sister was dead. Hanabi was dead.

My grip on my umbrella began to falter, the wind seemingly stronger than my own will told hold onto an object. The wind won, my umbrella flew out of my hands like a bird would have gracefully flown out of its nest, the rain then pouring onto my exposed body. I didn't feel it, I couldn't feel it, I was numb all over.

My sister's body was being thrown onto the rocks, being tangled with branches and logs that the river had thrown up the bank. Why hadn't anyone retrieved her body? Why was she still there, being tortured even after death?

"_We aren't allowed to recovery her body, Hinata. I'm sorry you have to see her like this."_ Neji stood close to me, so his umbrella covered me as well.

"_Why not?"_ I asked with tears burning in my eyes.

Neji hesitated slightly. _"The weather has been too bad for us to get down there to examine the scene. Her body must remain there until an investigation can be completed. Then we can retrieve her body, and take her for p__ost-mortem examination, to see what really happened to her." _

"_So my sister willl still suffer, even after death?"_ I looked up to my cousins pale eyes.

"_I am so sorry, Hinata."_

I couldn't stop myself from crying, I couldnt hold back the whimpers that escaped my lips. I was never going to see my sister again, I would never hear her voice, see her dance the way she used to, watch her smile when we used to practice our Taijutsu together. My little sister was gone. She was gone forever.

"_I need to go home. I need to rest."_ I pulled away from Neji, running towards the men that were watching us so carefully.

I could barely feel the water hitting my head, the water splashing up my legs as my feet slammed in the puddles. I couldnt think about that, I needed to think about Hanabi. She was gone and I needed to deal with that. But how was I going to do it? I hadn't felt this way since mother died when I was young. I felt hopeless then and I felt hopeless now. Two of the most important people in my life were gone now, and I had deal with the idea of being alone.

I slammed into something hard, my hair falling in front of my face and sticking to my wet skin. Two strong arms grabbed at my shoulders holding me firm and in place while I pushed my long hair away from my face and behind my ears. The rain wasn't falling down on me anymore, the only wet thing I could feel was my tears falling down my cheeks.

"_I'm sorry, Miss Hyuuga. But you aren't allowed to leave this town."_

I looked up to a man with short blonde hair and blue eyes as bright as the blue sky when you could see it. My bottom lip quivered. _"What are you talking about?"_

"_You are being charged on suspicion of murder, we need to speak with you down at the station."_

This was where I was now, driving down a long road, with thunder and lightning threatning to throw me off course, driving down to the police station where I was to be charged with the murder of my sister. My own sister. Did they really think I could have killed her?

I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be upset about, the fact that my sister was dead, or the fact that I was going to be charged with her murder. I didnt know how long I could cry for, or how my day could have got any worse. I didn't kill Hanabi, I could never kill anyone! But it didn't seem like any one was going to believe me. Well, maybe one. My cousin, Neji.

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><p><strong>AN: So what did you think? I'm not sure whether to continue this story or not, it was just an idea that I had in my head. If you want to see another chapter in this and possibly a really long story, just review and tell me what you think :)<strong>


	2. Let Loose

To be by myself, was like being within eternal damnation.

The metal contraption that I was sitting on that the local police called a 'seat' was far too cold and uncomfortable. While the front office receptionist was sitting on a soft, fluffy, and comfortable office recliner, I was stuck outside in the foyer, sitting on metal, waiting for my cousin to return.

It seemed that even Neji didn't hear the news; that I was being charged with my sisters death. He was the first to lose his cool, to yell at the officer that briefly sheltered me from the rain. It was apparent that no one, not even the officers that answered to Neji, told him about this information.

"_This is not Justice!"_ he had yelled in the blonde officers face. _"This is corruption of the system!"_

I thought so too. It seemed that people that knew my father, or knew _of_ him, thought I was exactly like him. I was under the impression that the officers in this small town thought that I was a filthy, greedy, money hungry person, just like my father had been. I felt that they saw me as the daughter that would do anything for her fathers fortune, even kill my younger sister.

I shifted lightly on the metal seat, pulling my hands onto my knees tightly with my head hung low. The sound of fingers tapping against a keyboard was all I could hear; the tension of waiting for Neji was beginning to wreck my nervous system. He told me he was going to fix this, he was going to figure out what the hell was going on and why I was being charged for this crime I did not commit.

"This is ridiculous!" a voice yelled, throwing me off guard.

I looked down the hall way discreetly, my hair clouding my vision as a chair was thrown out of one of the interview rooms. The same room Neji had gone into only hours before. The chair crashed and banged on the floor, everyone in the station coming to a stop, even the receptionists typing.

"You have no case against her!" Neji said angrily as he rushed out of the interview room looking haggard and torn.

"We have no choice but to interrogate her!" another voice yelled after him.

I watched as my cousin came towards me, his eyes full of hurt and worry. What was going on in that room that made him look so distraught? Neji came to an abrupt stop in front of me, and I looked up to him, hoping that there was some good news; even though I knew there was none.

His jaw was twitching and he wouldn't meet my gaze, as I tried to read him, to see what was going on. "I can't do anything," He growled through clenched teeth. "I'm so sorry, Hinata. They wont let me- I can't do anything about this!"

As I exhaled, I felt like my soul was leaving my body. This was really happening. I was the main suspect in a murder investigation.

"I tried everything I could, I tried to persuade him. But I can't, I don't have the power to do that. God dammit!" Neji slammed his fist against a nearby wall. I flinched as I saw the blood trickling down his fingers. "They're going to be tough, Hinata, they wont take to you easy because you are my cousin. You have to be prepared."

He looked down at me now, and I could almost feel his fear pouring into me. This wasn't going to be as easy as I would have hoped. I was still in pain, my sisters death pinching at my heart every time I thought about her. I wanted to celebrate her life, hold a memorial for her so everyone she knew would be able to attend and help with the celebration. But I couldn't do that now, I had to deal with this; I had to selfishly put myself first before my already dead sister.

"W-whats going to h-happen?" My hands cupped together tightly as my stutter crawled its way up my throat. "W-what am I going t-to do, Neji?"

He swiftly knelt before me, his hands gripping my shoulders, forcing me to look into his eyes. "You have to be strong. You have to have faith. Believe in yourself, and your power to show people the truth. The man interrogating you is a specialist in mind techniques, and he will do his best to see you crumble before him, just so he can get a confession. But you can't let him do that to you, do you understand?"

"T-this is far more serious than I t-think it is, isn't it?" I trembled.

"Yes, it is." He leaned in a little closer. "If you ever feel like you are being threatened, you can end the interview, get a lawyer and discuss this on easier terms. Inoichi will do his best to break you, Hinata-"

"Excuse me, Miss Hyuuga?"

Both Neji and I stopped, stared at each other like something was wrong, then looked up to the officer that was standing before us. It was the same officer from earlier on, the blonde man that had sheltered me from the rain, and who also had taken a grueling from Neji.

"Y-yes?" I asked hesitantly.

The blonde man eyed Neji carefully, as if waiting for further instruction; but when Neji said nothing, he continued. "I need you to follow me, please."

It was Neji who stood first, suddenly looking composed and professional. He neatly tucked his hands in his pockets, and his previous distraught manner was completely gone.

I then stood too, my eyes wide as I looked at my cousin for guidance. What was going to happen to me? Was this interrogation going to be horrible, or was it going to be easy? Either way I was scared; I didn't want to have to do this alone, I needed someone to be by my side, someone who I could hold hands with if I ever felt like things were going too far. I needed my cousins support.

"This way, Miss Hyuuga," the blonde man looked at me from over his shoulder, as he slowly paced down the tiled hallway.

"N-Neji, I can't-"

He quickly turned me around, so I faced the blonde man that was walking away. With one hand on my shoulder, he whispered something into my ear, something that only I would be able to hear and understand. I nodded at him when he finished, feeling almost refreshed and confident. He was exactly right, I could use _that_ if things got too carried away. There was no law against it, and I was positive that hardly anyone knew I could do it.

"Thank you, cousin," I whispered as I pulled my hands to my chest, and quickly caught up with the blonde man.

It wasn't long before my footsteps fell in time with his, walking slowly past the interview room where Neji had emerged from. The door was slightly ajar, and as I continued walking, I looked inside to see if anyone was in there. There was nothing.

"Please take a seat in here, Miss Hyuuga."

He stood holding the door open for me, his gaze lingering on the ground. I thanked him kindly, bracing my hand on the door jamb as a man with long rustic blonde hair stood within the room, staring at me. His eyes were a strange type of green, and they seemed to bore into me as if trying to figure out who I was and what I was doing here. A pile of papers was sat tidily on a brown table; I briefly wondered if they were all about my sister.

"Thank you, Officer Uzumaki. I can take things from here."

He bowed quickly to the older man, before making his leave hastily. I had the feeling he didn't want to be here as much as I did.

"Miss Hyuuga, I take it?" The strange man asked me kindly.

"Y-yes. H-Hinata Hyuuga." I replied.

He smiled a little. "My name is Inspector Inoichi Yamanaka, and if you don't mind I have a few questions I would like to ask you." With his hand held out, pointing to the seat in front of me, he didn't even wait for me to reply. "Please take a seat."

I did as I was told, placed my hands neatly on the table as Inoichi closed the door behind me. There was a loud creak, and all of the outside noises were gone. There was no muffled voices, no fingers tapping on keyboards; just pure _silence._

As he sat down in front of me and sorted through his papers, I could feel my heart slamming against my rib cage. My fingers trembled desperately on the table; the small confidence boost Neji had given me barely lasted me five minutes. I was blinking rapidly, my body feeling cold, yet I could feel a small sweat gathering on my brow. Why was I so nervous?

"Guilty conscience?"

My gaze snapped to Inoichi, his cold green eyes glaring at me with malicious intent. "N-No!" I managed to say.

"You seem awfully nervous for someone that says they are innocent." He picked up his pen, never taking his eyes off of me for a second, then began to write.

My mouth was open slightly, my eyes wide with worry. What was I supposed to say to that? That I was absolutely innocent and that there was no way that I could be responsible for my sisters death? He wouldn't believe me even if I did say that.

"Where were you on the night of January the 22nd?" he asked me coldly.

I thought back briefly; how was I supposed to remember events so carefully, especially from a week ago? I was sure I was working that night, working was all I ever did. "A-At home," I said finally. "I was writing a column, for w-work."

"What do you do for a job?"

"I'm a journalist," I managed to say without so much as a single stutter.

His eyes finally looked away from mine, as his hands searched through the pile of papers that was sitting on the table. "This would make for good news, wouldn't you think? _'Heir to Hyuuga Fortune Killed'_."

My heart sunk to my feet. Was that all my sister was to this man? The heir to our fathers fortune? Did she not have a life? A goal to pursue? Did she have no real meaning to him, at all? I frowned, my eyes beginning to tear up. My sister was more than that. She was brave, outgoing, always looking out for others that needed help. Hanabi was an angel, she had helped so many people, more than my father would never have cared to know about. She was taken from this world far too early.

"I think it's repulsive that you would even say a thing like that to me," I mumbled through gritted teeth, tears falling down my cheeks. "She wasn't just an 'heir', like you portray her to be. Hanabi was a person! She had feelings! She had a life!"

Inoichi slammed his hands down on the table hard, his stack of papers falling all over the ground. "That's right, she _had_ a life! Someone took it from her! And that someone was _you_, wasn't it, Hinata Hyuuga? As the rightful heir to your fathers fortune, you took your sisters life into your own hands-"

"I didn't kill Hanabi!" I screamed, bunching my hands together tightly. "I could never kill her! She was my sister!"

"Your sister?" He laughed at me. He actually _laughed_ at me. "She was never your sister! She was an obstacle for you! You knew your father would never trust you with his fortune, you knew Hanabi was far better than you could have ever been. You just needed the right motive to get rid of her, and this was the perfect opportunity, wasn't it?"

I was whimpering. I couldn't believe what he was saying. He was _blaming _me. I dug my fingers into the palm of my hands, holding back the urge to burst into tears. "I w-want a lawyer."

Neji's voice echoed in my ears, the advice he gave me before I was to be questioned repeating itself to me over and over again. _"Inoichi is strong. He will do everything to break you. If you feel you can't handle it, ask for a lawyer, and if I know Inoichi, he will deny you any chance of getting one. He can't do that, Hinata. Everyone has the right to a lawyer, especially one under circumstances such as yours. If you have to use _that_ to get your point across, then do it. He can't stop you."_

Inoichi chuckled at me darkly, his green eyes slanted like a snake ready to kill. "You want a lawyer? Well I'm terribly sorry, but you can't have one. I'm not finished with you yet, I still have mountains of questions I need to ask you."

"I s-said I want a l-lawyer," I repeated.

He leaned over the table, using his grim expression and large size to intimidate me. His face was inches away from mine, and I could hear his breathing; almost like he was growling. "No."

"_Use the Byakugan, Hinata. It's the only way you'll be able to get out of that room. It's the only way to get Inoichi off your back."_

With trembling eyes, I glared back at Inoichi hard. He couldn't do this to me, this wasn't legal, I had the right to a lawyer.

I gathered the chakra behind my eyes, my vision slowly becoming more clear, more detailed. I saw Inoichi's eye twitch, his mouth open just a fraction. The chakra released, pouring straight into my eyes, as I yelled, "Byakugan!"

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><p><strong>AN: wow, another chapter! Im really having lots of fun with this, I think its because when I envision this story, I can see it growing in different directions. Man that makes me sound old D: Haha thanks for reading, and please do me the pleasure and review :)<strong>


	3. His love for Her

"Byakugan!"

Everything I saw was a more detailed by a hundred percent. I could see the sweat glands on my hands, the small micro sized chip I had in my nail polish. I could see Inoichi almost scared. _Almost._ His eyes looked to the left of the room slightly, before resting back to me, his nostrils flaring; but only for a second. There was a sweat forming on his brow as I looked deeper into him: seeing the chakra and energy lines flowing through his body. He was on edge, his chakra was pumping through his system far more intensely than it should have for someone that gave the impression that they were calm.

"Well, what do we have here?" He snorted, sitting back down in his chair while folding his arms over his chest. I didn't let up, I kept glaring at him, my tears still trickling down my cheeks. "Looks like your cousin isn't the only special one, is he? I knew the Hyuuga family was special, but I didn't think you were _all_ special."

"You obviously don't know much about my family then, do you?" I muttered through gritted teeth.

He snorted lightly. "I know enough to arrest you."

My breathing stopped for a split second, my Byakugan fading as I watched Inoichi smile. Arrest me? My heart was slamming within me fast and hard. Where was the evidence? He couldn't arrest me just like that, could he? I didn't kill my sister, there was no way that I could ever kill anyone! But this man... He just sat there, his teeth bared while his lips were pulled up into a devilish grin. This man was going to be the end of me, he was going to ruin my life, he was going to send me to prison.

"Uzumaki!" he yelled. I flinched as the door to my freedom opened. Light poured in as the blonde man stood at the door. Inoichi still had me caught in his gaze. "If it is a lawyer you want, then get one. And he better be good, because the evidence we have against you is indestructible. Uzumaki," he tore his gaze away from me and looked up to the man in the door way. "Please escort Miss Hyuuga out of here."

With trembling eyes, I looked up to the blonde man. His own eyes were almost glowing, the blue so intense it reminded me of the ocean on a summers day. I couldn't help wondering something; how in this moment, this man standing in the door way looked so familiar to me. I sat there for a moment longer, almost expecting him to grin at me, or laugh, or something that wasn't all of this silence. But he didn't. He just waited for me as I stood on shaky legs, walking out of the darkness and into the light of the hallway.

* * *

><p>With hot chocolate in my hands and a blanket wrapped around me while I sat next to the fire, it was almost heaven for me; but it was slightly uncomfortable.<p>

I told Neji that I would be fine to stay in a hotel for the night, or for how ever long I needed to be here. The peace and quiet would do me good, and while I was on my own I had the chance to analyze what was going on with my life. I would have the time to think, to think about my sister, to organize her funeral as soon as they released her body. But Neji insisted that I stay with him.

"_B-But your partner,"_ I stuttered, holding my hands to my chest. _"I don't want to invade. You need your privacy."_

"_And you need all the support you can get,"_ He retorted. _"Trust me, Tenten will be fine. If anything she will enjoy the company."_

My eyes began to close slowly as the rain poured down hard. The sound of it pounding away on the roof was somewhat soothing. I felt like I could fall asleep, and then continue to sleep for days on end. It would be so much nicer than having to deal with the dramas that were in my life at the moment.

The fire suddenly cracked loudly, jolting me out of my soothing state. I realized then that there was no escaping this. Inoichi seemed like he wanted me to suffer, he looked like he really believed that I killed my own sister. But what was all this evidence he spoke of? How could they possibly link me to Hanabi? I was hours away in Konoha when she was killed, and there was no way that father would have let me see Hanabi anyway.

He must have been bluffing. For all I knew, the investigation squad Neji had round up hadn't had the chance to get down to the river. They managed to get her body out, yes, but that was only because the raging river threatened to take her away. No investigation had taken place yet, there couldn't have been any evidence against me. Not yet, if Inoichi was in charge.

"Feeling better?"

I looked over my shoulder as Neji rolled up his sleeves, plonking himself on the chair opposite me. He rested his feet on the foot stool and rolled his neck a few times. He looked absolutely drawn, like being at work was all just an act for him, like he had to pretend he was someone else.

"Much better," I said with a little smile. "What about you? You look exhausted."

"I feel exhausted," he mumbled.

"Why?"

He looked at me then, his pale eyes confused at my question. "Why what?"

"Why do you do it? If it stresses you out so much, why do you continue to push yourself?"

It was a question I had been wanting to ask him for years, but strangely I never found the courage to do it. I knew Neji liked to be alone, and I knew that he was always a good worker; but to put yourself under so much stress? Was it worth it?

"Tenten has asked me the same question for a long time now," he smiled sadly. "I don't spend as much time with her as I should, but this job requires seventy percent of my attention."

I frowned lightly and looked down to my cup of hot chocolate. "So Tenten only gets thirty?"

"I'm afraid so. I understand that this job puts me under a lot of pressure, but what would I do without it? This is what I love to do, this job is everything."

I couldn't understand his job, or why he loved it so much. It required so much of his time, so much of his life; would he ever have the chance to do what he wanted to do, not what the world was expecting him to do? He would be forever bound by this life, helping people, putting himself and the ones around him last, while the rest of the world came first. Why would he go through so much trouble?

"Although," he sighed slightly, sitting himself up and resting his arms on his knees. "Tenten is my everything too. I know if I do not make changes, she will leave."

"Is it that bad between you two?" I asked sadly, placing my cup on the coffee table.

"She would deny it until the world ended, but I know better. Tenten wants the attention, she wants the comfort, she wants to know that she is _loved._ And right now, I can't give it to her. If another man came along and offered her a different life, a _better_ life, I would tell her to take it, to embrace it. She deserves better than what she is getting."

There was a sadness in his voice that was eerily ominous. He spoke about her like she was a delicate piece of china, like in all of the world he was the worst person to handle her, that she deserved to be placed on display for the world to see. My heart tugged lightly. I had never seen my cousin so sad.

"Neji-" I began.

He waved me off. "Look at me rambling when you are the one that is really going through tough times. I shouldn't be speaking like this. There are more important things to worry about, like your freedom."

He looked at me seriously, his sadness disappearing into the depths of his heart. It couldn't be good for him, bottling up his feelings the way he did. Had he even talked to Tenten about how he felt? Surely if she knew...

"Neji? You're home awfully early."

The front door opened as Tenten came in drenched from head to toe. A cold breeze blew in, whipping at the fire that was keeping this house so warm. She quickly locked the door behind her, slipping off her gloves before her eyes came to a rest on me. She looked at me like she was confused, and I also did the same thing.

"Tenten," Neji stood quickly pulling her into a quick peck. She smiled up at him, but he looked over to me. "Do you remember my cousin Hinata?"

"I thought you looked familiar!" She laughed, lightly punching Neji in the shoulder. "And here I was glaring at you. Sorry about that!"

She was a bundle of happiness. From the way she smiled, to the way she laughed; Tenten's presence changed the whole atmosphere of the house. I almost felt chirpy myself, just looking at her made me want to smile.

"It's fine," I said quietly.

"She's going to be staying with us for awhile," Neji looked back at Tenten. "I hope you don't mind."

With a grin, her brown eyes lit up warmly. "Not at all. Why don't I clean myself up and get something ready for dinner?"

"Sounds wonderful," Neji smiled weakly, but Tenten didn't seem to notice.

"Just make yourself at home, Hinata!" Tenten yelled as she ran up the stairs.

Neji watched on, his eyes full of a desire that I couldn't quiet decipher. It seemed like he longed for her, like he wanted to be near her all the time; but there was something stopping him. I could see that he loved her by the way he looked at her, but he just didn't seem to be able to put that love into action. It seemed as though Tenten was used to Neji's discreet ways, but I didn't know Tenten all that well.

"I should probably talk to her," He mumbled, his gaze still on the stairs.

I nodded. "It would be a good idea."

"I don't want her finding out about your case from anyone else. She should hear it from me."

"Tenten probably wouldn't want a murderer in her home," I grumbled.

It was the way I felt, I felt like a murderer. The way Inoichi had treated me, the way he spoke to me like I was pure filth... I might as well have done what everyone had accused me of, because I didn't feel good at all.

"Do not say that, Hinata!" Neji glared at me. "Do not lose faith in yourself! If you believe what Inoichi told you today, then you will become just that. You are not a murderer. You are my cousin, and you are innocent."

I shifted uncomfortably, pulling the blanket around me tighter. "I need a lawyer."

He shook his head lightly. "Don't worry about that now, we will deal with that tomorrow. For now, just relax. I need to do the same thing." With a quick nod of his head, he began his decent up stairs.

"Wait!" I yelled, my brain taking over temporary control of my mouth. It had been bothering me since I saw him for the first time, the color of his eyes seemed far too familiar to me. I didn't want to ask Neji now, but now that he was looking at me anxiously, waiting for me to speak, I felt I had no other choice. "The man, w-with the blonde hair. W-Who is he?"

Neji cocked a brow. "You don't remember him?" I shook my head, feeling the blush that I was so desperately trying to suppress crawl to my cheeks. "His name is Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Wow! This is really fun to write, and im loving the reviews ;D I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as I am, but I cant guarantee that I will be updating this fast again. March is deffo a busy month for me! But please, do keep up the reviews, they keep me writing :)<strong>


	4. Savior

"Konoha Law Firm, how may I help you?"

The nervous gulp that slid down the back of my throat made me want to hurl. I had been putting off this phone call for far too long, but I needed to speak to him. He would be able to help me, he said he would always be there for me.

"I-I was looking for someone-"

"Do you have a name?" The receptionist interrupted me.

"Y-yes," I stuttered. Whether it was the impatient tone of the lady on the other end of the phone, or whether it was just me; I couldn't bring myself to say his name. It was such an easy name, much like my own, but my lips wouldn't move!

"Ma'am? Are you there?"

My hand tightened around the phone, my eyes clenching shut tightly. A part of me didn't want to bother him. He hated to be bothered. But another part of me was screaming for me to call him. He told us all that if we ever needed help, we could count on him, free of charge. He said he would always be there for us, no matter what the circumstances may be. He wouldn't judge me. He knew me too well.

"Ma'am?"

"I'm l-looking for... Mr-Mr. N-Nara."

Shikamaru Nara, to be exact. I may not have been able to say his first name, but he was a well known lawyer, the best in Konoha, surely this lady would have known who he was.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said blandly. "Mr. Nara doesn't answer phone calls. He only speaks to people via appointment only. I can book you in if you want-"

"No," I said sternly. "P-please just tell him, its Hinata calling."

"I'm sorry, like I said before-"

"_Please,"_ I begged.

There was an awkward silence, a bit of ruffling coming from the other end, before I heard her sigh. "Okay, just wait on hold."

Just like that, her voice disappeared and music started to play. My heart was getting a beating lately. I was sure sooner, rather than later, that it was going to fail on me. The past three days had been chaos: I had never been through such torment in my entire life. I was the good girl, the one that always finished her homework on time, the one that always smiled and cheered people up. I wasn't the one that got accused of anything, the one that was told they were filth or looked upon like they were scum. That wasn't me.

When I exhaled, I didn't expect to hear a voice on the other end so soon. When he said my name, I screamed a little. He said it with such worry.

"Hinata? What's wrong? I heard about Hanabi, I'm so sorry."

So news had already traveled to Konoha? I wondered if they new about the accusations against me. "Sh-Shikamaru," I managed to say. "I need your help."

He pause slightly on the other end. "So it's true then, the rumors?"

I let out a small grunt that sounded almost like a child's snore. "I-I'm afraid so."

"Hinata," he trailed off.

I bit my lip lightly. This was hard for me, asking for help; I had never had to ask for it before. I knew Shikamaru would understand, I knew he was the best at his job and he would be able to help me get my freedom. But there was a part that told me that he didn't want to help, that he thought I was guilty, just like the rest of them did.

"Give me your number," he said roughly. "I have business I need to deal with tomorrow but after that I will ring you and we will make a plan, alright?"

A plan? "Y-yes," I said quickly before giving him my number.

"Alright, in the mean time, don't speak to anyone, got it? It's important that you don't speak to police officials until I'm there. Do you understand, Hinata?"

"Y-yes," I said again.

"Okay," he sighed. "Don't worry about a thing. I'm going to help you."

* * *

><p><em>Don't Worry.<em>

_Don't Worry._

_**Don't. Worry.**_

My fingers trembled as I reached for a can of soup.

All I was doing was worrying. All I could think about was my future. How would it be determined if I were found guilty? What sort of prison would I be sent to? Would I be sent to confinement away from everyone else because I was clinically insane, or would they put me with the rest of the murderers?

I shouldn't have come to the convenience store, but I thought a bit of fresh air would have done me some good. I was obviously wrong.

I slipped the can of soup slowly into my basket, keeping my head low as I walked further down the isle. People were staring at me, I could feel their eyes boring into me like I was crazy. The stares were beyond deafening; the small murmurs and grunts proving to be cruel. News had traveled fast in this small town. Everyone knew about me.

I tried my hardest to direct my focus on something else; what other food did I need? Canned soup wasn't one of them, but it would do. Maybe some bread... and some butter...

"Hey, it's that _murderer._"

Blinking slowly, I pulled my shoulders forwards, keeping my head low and my face out of sight.

"Shouldn't she be in prison? She killed her sister!"

My head began to throb as I quickly grabbed some bread and butter, throwing it in my basket.

"I heard she did it because she wanted money."

I rushed to the counter, my head still low and my pride depleting rapidly. Who were these people? They had no idea who I was, they had no idea that I was _innocent. _But here they were, judging me because of something that would have turned up on the news.

With a quick thrust, I shoved the basket in front of the shop clerk. She looked at me cautiously, her dark eyes scanning me almost maliciously. I had to ignore it, I couldn't let little things like this tear me down.

One item after the other, she scanned them slowly, opening up a plastic bag and placing the items in carefully. It was like she was doing this on purpose. I had the urge to yell at her, to tell her to hurry up and stop mucking around; but the other part of me was forcing myself to stay calm.

"That will be fourteen dollars," she spat.

I flinched at her voice; it was so vicious. Quickly, I tore my gaze away from her and sifted through my pockets searching for my wallet.

It wasn't there.

I patted my sides, searched my bag, looked back in the isles that I had just come from; but my wallet was still no where to be found. The shop clerk stared at me impatiently, her finger tapping on the counter.

"I-I..." I began. "I can't find my wallet."

"No money, no goods."

"B-but.." But I had it five minutes ago.

"Look lady," she leaned over to me. "This isn't a charity case, we don't give out _free_ food. You have to pay for it, just like everyone else."

"I had my wallet..." I whispered quietly, patting my pockets again just in case I had missed it.

The shop clerk scoffed at me so pathetically it made my heart burn. From the look in her eye, to the way she held herself, I could tell what she was thinking. She thought I was a murderer, she thought I killed my sister for my fathers fortune. I was starting to believe that I had...

"Here," a strange voice said from behind me.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a bare arm thrust towards the shop clerk, credit card in hand. My eyes slowly followed up the arm, taking in the defined muscle all the way up to the sleeve of an orange t-shirt. I trembled when I saw his face. I trembled when his blue eyes locked onto mine.

"I'll pay for her, take my card."

My heart was pounding as I looked back to the shop clerk. Her lip was pulled up into a sneer, but she took his card anyway, swiping it without complaining.

Why was he doing this for me? He barely knew me, he was one of the officers working on my case; but yet here he was _helping_ me. Officer Uzumaki. He looked so different now compared to what he looked like in uniform. He almost looked like he was at peace, like he was relaxed. The only other times that I had seen him was when we were at the station. Though I still noticed the distant look in his eyes, the one that he tried to hide behind his uniform.

"Why are you doing this?" I said more sternly than I would have liked. "Why are you helping me?"

His eyes narrowed for a second, but then they became soft as he smiled a little. I felt like I was going to explode. The way he smiled brought back a rush of memories and I almost felt like I was going to faint.

I remembered him now.

"Neji would kill me if I didn't."

Naruto Uzumaki, the number one idiot in Konoha.

I was in love with him at one point of my teenage years; that was of course, before he left for the army. I didn't know that he was a police officer, he told everyone that he was going to do Konoha proud and protect the land of fire at all costs. Naruto left for the army with Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha went rogue.

He wasn't at all like I remembered him. The Naruto I remembered was always smiling, he was always laughing and looking out for others. Now he just reminded me of a doll, one that only spoke when spoken too, and one that only did things when told to do. He was empty now, he had changed so much.

The shop clerk pushed my bag food towards me and I grabbed it before all the contents spilled over the floor. She gave me a menacing look as she handed Naruto back his card. I turned towards him, to thank him for his gesture, but he was already walking out the door. The cold wind whipped at his blonde hair as he walked out of sight.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey guys! Sorry its been so long and sorry this chapter is so short! But i thought it would be better than waiting another couple of months before I released another chapter haha. Please do me the honors of reveiwing and tell me what you think! Peace!<strong>


	5. Uncertainty

The night was desperately cold. It didn't help that I couldn't sleep properly, but when I managed to close my eyes for a few minutes, all I could see was my sisters face. It wasn't the pretty, soft featured face I was used to seeing. Her face was dark, covered in bruises and blood; and her eyes... they were not the eyes of the Hyuuga family. Hanabi's eyes were red.

I was too distressed to stay in my cold bed. Shivering, I pulled the blankets off slowly and shuffled over to the closet, hugging my arms around me tightly, desperately trying to keep myself warm. Tenten was nice enough to lend me a dressing gown as she knew how badly I would suffer in this cold weather. I pulled it over myself quickly and began my decent down stairs.

The crackling of the fire drew me down towards the lounge. I could just imagine the flames spiraling up the chimney, the warmth emitting off of them like rays from the sun. I suddenly stopped at the foot of the stairs.

Just sitting at the hearth of the fire was Tenten. She was sobbing uncontrollably, a box of tissues at her side. She must of heard me come down the stairs, as she stopped sobbing and turned around slowly. I gasped lightly, pulling my hands of to my face, trying not to make a sound.

"H-Hinata?" Tenten asked. "What are you..? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

_Yes,_ I wanted to say, but the look in Tentens eyes made me stop. Her eyes were swollen red, tears still apparent on her pale face. She looked awful, like her heart had just been torn apart. "I... I couldn't sleep. So much things on my mind..."

Tenten managed to send me a smile. With what she looked like she was going through, I was surprised that she looked like she genuinely meant that smile. It was full of warmth and care. "I can't even try to understand what you're going through right now," she sniffled. "It must be so hard for you."

I nodded a little, my gaze shifting to the ground instinctively. "Y-yes," I mumbled. "It is very hard."

"I hope you know, that I know you didn't do it, Hinata," Tenten said powerfully. "No matter what is going around through the press, no matter what Neji's co-workers believe, I know deep down that you didn't do it."

I didn't understand how she was being so kind. Everyone that I seemed to meet in this small town hated me from the moment they saw me. But I suppose Neji wouldn't be with someone that was heartless and had no compassion. He would only be with someone who was caring, who helped others just like he did. He would only love someone like Tenten.

"Are you okay?" I managed to ask, completely off topic.

Tenten's smile faded, and the look in her eyes saddened. I wondered slightly if I had made the right choice in asking her. "No..." she trailed off. "I'm not okay."

"Is there... Is there anything that I could do to help...?" I asked, taking a step forward.

Tenten laughed a little. "Hinata, my problems are far less important to what you are going through. The last thing I want to do is talk to you about what I'm going through. It could not even compare..."

"Tenten," I said quietly. "You are letting me stay in your home... the least I could do is try and help."

She stared off into the distance. "I really don't think there is anything that you could do."

It seemed that she didn't want my help at all. I couldn't blame her, she didn't know me all that well, and I was going through something horrible and I myself couldn't even be sure that I would be able to give good advice. If I could give any at all. I had a feeling I knew why she was upset. It was over my cousin, Neji. "He's not home, is he?"

A single tear dropped down Tentens cheek. She shook her head and cried.

* * *

><p>I left Tenten alone last night. Being around someone as upset as her made me want to shed a few tears myself. I supposed Neji had left last night, to work on my case. I couldn't help but feeling a little guilty for the pain Tenten was going through. If I wasn't here, if my sister was still here, maybe Tenten would be a lot happier. Maybe she wouldn't be crying as much...<p>

With running hot water, I rinsed the dirty plates from last nights dinner. It was only me and Tenten for dinner, but we had left a plate for Neji in the microwave. His food was untouched. I felt bad having to throw a good plateful of food away, but I couldn't imagine Tenten wanting to eat his left overs.

I was crashing and splashing the dishes around, not really caring about how much noise I was making. I was still frustrated and angry, but beneath all of that I was still incredibly sad. My sister... I was still unsure what I was going to do without her. We were such good friends, closer than anyone could have imagined. Closer than what my father could have ever imagined.

There was a sudden knock at the door.

I stopped what I was doing, dishes crashing around in the sink like an earthquake had just hit. I wasn't expecting someone to come over during the middle of the day, especially coming to Neji's house. If it were Tenten, she would have just walked in; so that meant it was someone I didn't know. I was in shock.

What if it was a member of the public, figuring out that one of the local investigators is putting up a murderer? What if they had come to yell at me, or worse, to punish me for what I had done?

There was another knock.

My heart began to race like a cheetah running after its pray. The possibilities of what could be on the other side of that door scared me like no tomorrow. With dripping hands, I slowly walked over to it, the knocks becoming more persistent and impatient. My hand trembled at the handle, every ounce of strength that I thought I had was gone, vanishing into the dark abyss. Whoever was on the other side of the door was obviously impatient, as the said figure was now slamming against the wooden structure.

The door opened on its own, and I jerked my hand back quickly, holding my wet arms to my chest horrified. I expected to see people with pitchforks or at least a few people with picket signs, but that was the exact opposite of what I saw.

There he was again. Officer Uzumaki. In full uniform.

I stared at him unintentionally, wondering why I hadn't recognized him when I saw him for the first time. He still looked the same, from his fluffy blonde hair to his ocean blue eyes. He was exactly like he was back in Konoha. Except now there was something hard resting in his heart. He wasn't smiling they was he used too, he wasn't even making a joke, he just stood there hard as a rock, like he had no heart anymore.

"Is Neji here?"

"W-what?" I blinked.

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Neji, your cousin, my superior. Is he here?"

For some reason my eyes narrowed as he looked at me impatiently. "N-no, h-hes not here."

"That bastard," he muttered under his breath, looking past the veranda to the pouring down rain.

I scratched my head lightly, before looking down at the ground the way I normally did. This was not the Naruto I remembered, this was not Naruto at all. It made me sad to think that he turned out like this, that he went from being the happiest person I knew, to being this cold hearted man that was standing in front of me. I subconsciously began to hug myself.

"Hinata," He said softly.

I jerked my head up. The way he said my name, it sounded soft and caring, just like the way he used to be, the way he used to talk to me. Did he maybe remember who I was?

"You've been crying, haven't you?"

I touched my now wrinkled finger tips to my cheeks, feeling the warm tears that were resting on my skin. I didn't even realize that I had been crying. It must have been when I was thinking about Hanabi. I didn't even notice when Naruto's hand rested on my cheek, his thumb wiping the now drying tears away. We looked at each other, both stunned and unsure of what was going on. Naruto stared at me, his eyes wide, but his soft hand still resting on my cheek.

"Officer Uzumaki, what exactly is going on here?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Oh my lord, it has been SO LONG since I have updated, and I am so sorry! I swear I am doing my best to try and update faster, but my life is so busy at the moment! And I cant help but feel like I can relate to Tenten a lot in this story, but thats just me being silly :P Please Review! I have missed them!<strong>


	6. Broken Family

"Officer Uzumaki, what exactly is going on here?"

I flinched when I saw my cousin, pale eyes glaring, his dark hair soaked from the rain that was falling all over him. Naruto didn't budge at all. He continued to look at me, his eyes shining strangely in this dull light, but his mouth was set in a tight line, like he was frustrated and angry.

"I said, what the hell is going on here?" Neji asked more furiously this time, pulling Naruto by the shoulder.

Narutos hand left my cheek, his warmth now gone, only to be replaced by the cold wind that was blowing around outside.

"She was upset, I was simply comforting her," Naruto growled back in return, Neji glaring at him like he didn't believe a word he said. Naruto then scoffed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Why are you angry at me anyway? You're late."

My cousin looked at me, there was something sympathetic in his pale eyes. I couldn't help but gulp a little, as his attention was directed back towards Naruto. "We're going to have to re-schedule. I'm sorry Officer Uzumaki, but there are things that I need to take care of."

Naruto cocked a brow. "You're ditching work?"

"Yes." He nodded.

I looked at Neji, baffled. Did I hear correctly? My own cousin, the one that spent his entire life working, helping others, and putting his family aside, was stopping himself from working? This didn't sound like him at all, Neji was always a hard worker, no matter what he did. He loved his job too much not to spend every hour of every day at it.

Naruto shrugged a little and looked out towards the rain. "I guess I'll head back to the station then. Relax a little, you deserve it," he said to Neji. Neji nodded at him before he ran through the rain to his patrol car, holding his cap on his head tightly.

"Hinata, if you could please accompany me inside, I have some things I need to speak with you about."

There was something strange in his eyes. The way he spoke to me just then, the intensity of his voice, the power that lurked behind his eyes, it all seemed so serious. Was it to do with my case? Well of course I had to be, why else would he want to talk with me, especially as he was acting so serious. A small shiver went down my spine, as I nodded, walking back indoors and sitting myself down by the fire place.

Neji shut the door behind himself, sighing lightly as he dried his hair out slightly. He pulled a delicate piece of paper out of his pocket, one that looked like it was from a diary of some sort. Before he sat down, he unfolded it, handing it to me with a tremor in his grasp. I took the paper.

_Neji_

_I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore. I keep hurting, and I keep trying to tell myself its going to go away, that everything is going to get better, but its not. It keeps getting worse. Last night, it was the last straw for me. I needed you home, your cousin needed you home, but you weren't here. You were working, like you always do. I sometimes wonder to myself if you really love me, and when I think about it, I really do believe that you do; but right at this very moment, I cant help but feel entirely alone. _

_I'm going to go back to Konoha for awhile, until everything cools off. I'll stay with Sakura, she will keep me up until I find a place to stay. I'm sorry it had to come to this._

_Tenten._

"It was left at the front reception at work," Neji mumbled. "I didn't think she would..."

The way he slumped in his chair made me want to go ballistic. He looked so hurt, like his lively hood had just been taken away from him, like his soul had just been eaten by a demon. There was a sadness in his eyes now, and I had foolishly mistaken it for seriousness.

"Neji," I said lightly.

His eyes narrowed. "I knew this would happen, Hinata. I had told myself many of times that if I didn't do anything about her feelings, she would leave. And now look," he threw his arms up in the air. "She's gone, back to Konoha."

I began to fiddle with my fingers. "I'm sure she will come back. She loves you."

"She doesn't love me," he spat. His tone had now changed, he was more angry now than he was upset. "Tenten has been pretending for months. She just needed an excuse to leave and I gave her one."

"Don't say things like that," I frowned. "I know for a fact that she loves you."

"If she loved me, why did she leave?"

My mouth opened to say something, but no words would come out. We sat there staring at each other in deafening silence. From one Hyuuga to another. I had to tell myself that he was angry, that everything he was saying was because he was upset, but I couldn't help but feel that he really felt that way, that he actually thought Tenten didn't love him.

He stood up without a second thought, dragging his had through his hair in a frustrated manner. Picking up a jacket from the coat hook, he slipped it on, pulling the hood over his head. "I'm sorry for putting this on you, Hinata. This is not for you to worry about. I will leave you be now."

* * *

><p>After Neji had left for work again, I received a phone call from Shikamaru, it had been a few days since I had heard from him and was hoping he would have some good news for me. Unfortunately, he had neither good news or bad news. Turns out he couldn't come to visit me anytime soon, but on the bright side it meant I was able to stay away from Inoichi and his horrible mind games. We both agreed that when I came back to Konoha for Hanabis funeral, we would set a time to meet with each other and discuss what was going on.<p>

_Hanabis Funeral_

I didn't even know how I was going to organize something like that. She was my sister, someone that was supposed to be here with me, she was supposed to grow old with me, but here I am thinking about how I'm supposed to celebrate her life when I'm the one being charged for taking it.

No, I had to stop thinking about myself. This had to be for Hanabi. She needed this day, she needed to be put to rest, and everyone that loved and cared about her had every right to be there too. I was being selfish, and for one day, it would not be hard to push my fears into the back of my mind, and I would do it, for her.

But when it came to Hanabi, I really had no say what could be done about her funeral. She was still under the guardianship of my father when she died, and that meant he would be the one to organize the funeral. I knew he would never have something big for her, he would just want to keep it between the Hyuuga family, but I knew that wasn't fair. If Hanabi were still here, she would want a funeral so all of her friends and family could be there, not just the Hyuuga family.

It was then I realized I was going to have to confront my father. The man that hated me from the moment I was born. It was going to be hard for me, but I needed to do it; I _had_ to do it. For Hanabi.

* * *

><p>"I thought I made it clear, two years ago, that I wanted nothing to do with you. And now here you stand, at my doorstep, with the remains of my daughter on your hands? Pathetic!"<p>

It had taken a few hours of self motivation to get the courage to visit my father. I had to ring Neji and ask for his address, even though he was forbidden to give it to me. Luckily, he knew what I needed it for, and gave it to me without a second thought. With a finger cradled at my lip, and my gaze focused simply on my own feet, I stood in silence as my fathers glare and vicious tone kept me quiet.

"Was it not enough that I lost my wife because of you?" He growled. "If you were half the heir you were supposed to be... If you were half the person your sister was, my wife would still be here!"

I flinched. I knew father had blamed me for mothers death, but I never heard him voice it so loudly. There was always a little part of me that blamed myself. But I knew it wasn't my fault, it wasn't anyone's fault, just a freak accident.

Hiashi slammed his fist against the door jamb. Apparently he was asking me questions, but I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I didn't hear a word he said. "What are you doing here, Hinata?" He said through clenched teeth. "I don't want you here."

"I-I..." I gulped. "I-I want a f-funeral, f-for Hanabi."

I managed to look at him then, his pale eyed glare boring down on me hard. "No." He said simply.

I frowned. "B-but, father-"

"Do not call me that!" He cut me off. "You are no daughter of mine! You take the life of my wife, then take the life of my last daughter! You are a curse, a burden on the Hyuuga family! I hope you rot in hell for what you have done!"

He kept yelling at me. At first all I could feel was sadness, hurt, and a stinging blow of painful guilt as my father cursed and threw his arms around like I was the worst person in the world. But then the sadness began to fade and anger started to take over.

All of these years, all he ever did was blame me. But what did I ever do to him? I didn't kill mother. No one killed mother. I just happened to be in the same car crash as her, but she unfortunately took the brunt of the crash and never recovered from her injuries. I was left strangely unharmed, and father seemed to think that it was my fault that mother did not survive the crash. And now there was Hanabi, without a second thought in fathers mind he believed that I had taken her life. It was not true. It wasn't me. I could never kill my sister!

"I didn't kill mother and I didn't kill Hanabi!" I screamed, interrupting my fathers banter. There were tears in my eyes, my breath was short, and I could feel my body shaking with anger. "I am your first born," I sobbed. "You should be here for me, to support me and care for me. But all you're doing..." Father looked at me, anger still lingering in his eyes, his fist clenched at his sides. "You're pushing me away and you're going to lose two daughters."

He closed his eyes, pulling a hand to rest on his chin. I waited patiently, tears falling down my cheeks, silently hoping that my father would forgive me, speak to me, or at least treat me like I was equal. Like I was his child.

"I only have one daughter, and she is dead."

My mouth fell open, a gasp leaving my lips as I couldn't hold my fathers gaze. My eyes were shaking, my entire body felt like it was numb. I was nothing to him, I really meant nothing.

He didn't look at me once as he closed the door on me. I was left in the rain, abandoned and alone, and still I was not allowed to have a funeral for my sister.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey guys! So yes this one is still a little bit too short, but I really want to get this one up so I can start writing the next chapter, and yes it will definitely be long! But please do me the honour of reviewing :) Would mean the world to me!<strong>


	7. Ceremony

The sun was shining bright in what seemed like decades. The birds were singing, the bees were buzzing, even the stray dogs were running around the streets like they had never seen light before.

It had not been long since I was back in Konoha, but with all the things that had been going on, it felt like a lifetime. It felt remarkably good to have the sun on my skin, such a change from the dull rainy setting that I had been used to in the past couple of weeks. Something about the rays felt like they were seeping into my skin, replenishing my cells and in turn, making me feel like a goddess.

I was walking down the main street, the streets still as filthy as I remember, but the rush of people around me was beginning to make me feel like I was at home. Dressed in a singlet and some shorts, I tried to endure as much of the sun as I could; I needed it, it was helping me clear my head.

In the distance, I could see the familiar brown building with the words _Konoha Press_ in bold block letters above the door. It was my work place; the place where I spent most of my time. I could think there, be myself and not have to worry about the world. I could write what I wanted, write about the stories that were going on within Konoha and in turn just entertaining the people within the city.

I stopped in the middle of the street, a few people grumbled at me, walking past as quickly as they could while others completely ignored me. In the corner of my eye, I could see them, one with pink hair and the other with blond hair. Both girls were sitting at a rounded table with plates of food surrounding them. It was Sakura and Ino.

Both girls had wide smiles on their faces, and despite their hatred for each other when they were younger, they were now good friends and shared everything with each other. Sakura, she had to be the kinder of the two. As a nurse she had a genuine nature, caring for elderly and children alike. She was well known in Konoha for her great skills, but she was also known for her fiery temper. If it was one thing never to do to Sakura, that was to make her angry. Most men in Konoha learnt to leave her alone after they all received a clobbering for trying to ask her out on a date. She hated desperate men. Then there was Ino, full of life and lived as a florist, she always smelt amazing and grew the most beautiful flowers. Ino had to be one of the most confident women I knew, she had guys drooling over her like ice melting off of an ice block. Unlike her best friend, Ino craved the attention. She was known as a serial dater, dating every man and then leaving them in a ditch. She only did it for attention though, there was only one guy that she really had her eyes on.

Suddenly someone bumped into me. I grabbed at my shoulder and dodged the next few people that came my way. Quickly, I ran over to the building my friends were in: I hadn't seen them since Hanabis death, and I was sure excited to see them. Both girls always knew the right things to say to make me happy. They were a box of joy, and that was what I needed right now.

"Is that... Is that Hinata!?" I heard someone yell as I entered the restaurant.

Over the tops of peoples heads, I could see Ino leaning over top of her booth, smiling and waving like she hadn't seen me in years. Sakura then popped her head up, her eyes wide with excitement as she started waving too. I smiled at them shyly, making my way over to them as they chatted and giggled. I was so excited to see them. They were so much fun, they were going to be able to help me forget without even knowing it.

Moments before I reached them, I noticed that there was someone else sitting with them. I hadn't seen him before when I was outside, he must have been hidden from my view. My steps then became nervous.

"Hinata!" Sakura chimed, standing up and pulling me into a hug. Ino did the same and I hugged them back. "When did you get back? You should have called."

"Oh.. I just got in last night," I said nervously.

Ino shrugged her shoulders in a cheeky manner. "You're home now, that's the main thing."

Sakura clicked her fingers. "Oh I forgot! Do you remember Naruto, Hinata?"

My eyes locked instantly with Officer Uzumaki's. He was looking at me sternly, his mouth set tight and his hands cradled under his chin. He wasn't in uniform, he was dressed in a plain t-shirt and some pants; he didn't look like the man I had been dealing with in the past few weeks. "Y-yes," I stuttered. "We've met."

"Good," Sakura smiled. "He's here for the ceremony too."

My brow raised in confusion, as Officer Uzumaki sighed. "Purely business, Miss Hyuuga."

"Don't listen to him,"Ino waved a hand. "He's here for your cousin. Since when did you become so modest Naruto? You used to gloat about helping people all the time," She growled at him, placing her hands on her hips.

For the first time in years, I saw him smile. It wasn't big, but it was enough to see that there was some kind of emotion behind his dark facade. "I'm here on business, Ino. You ladies seem like you have some catching up to do," he said, standing up. "I'll leave you alone."

"Naruto, you don't have to," Sakura dragged off, looking down to the ground as if she were ashamed.

"We'll catch up again later," He waved.

* * *

><p>I was back in Konoha for a reason. I was going to have a small, private ceremony for my sisters close friends. My father did not approve of this but it was none of his concern. I did not have Hanabis body, but I did have a picture of her: that was all I needed.<p>

Everything about Hanabi was not kept in her body, it was kept with everything around her. Pictures and items were all memories of her, even the things she did were brilliant memories.

I stared at the picture of her that was in my hand. My poor sister. With her long brown hair and distinctive Hyuuga eyes, she looked so beautiful. The smile she wore resembled everything about her. Happiness, excitement and most important of all, her determination.

I could feel myself tearing up as I placed her picture down on the decorated podium. She was surrounded by camellias. Her favorite flower.

With as much courage as I could muster, I held my head high and squared my shoulders. I couldn't look upset today, I needed to look happy. If not for me, for Hanabi. The last thing she would have wanted was to see me upset. This was a day to celebrate her life, and I was going to make sure that happened.

* * *

><p>The turnout for this ceremony was far larger than I had expected. Even the Hokage decided to attend. The first few hours were long, it was me basically talking to everyone who attended individually. As I promised myself, I kept a smile on my face, chatted and tried to come off as happy as I could. Of course, deep down, there was a pain that I couldn't describe. Every time someone mentioned my sisters name, it felt as if a piece of me was breaking away. But I kept it together. Even so, I knew it would only be a matter of time before I cracked.<p>

In the corner of my eye, I saw the familiar face of my dear cousin, Neji. He was dressed in a suit and tie, and had his hair tied back like he did when we were younger. When he saw me, his pale eyes seemed to light up a little. I smiled as he made his way towards me.

"Hinata," he spoke quietly, hugging me tightly.

It was the first real hug I had received all day. It felt warm, homey, and extremely comforting. I finally felt safe, like what I was doing was right. "Neji, thank you for coming."

He pulled away, his hands resting on my shoulders. "Of course. Why would I not? Hanabi is just as important to me as you are."

My eyes twitched slightly at the sound of her name. I could feel myself tearing away slowly.

"Hey," Neji squeezed at my shoulders tightly. I looked at him sympathetically, his pale eyes searching mine. I felt horrible for letting him see my like this, he had enough on his plate. After all, Tenten was going to be attending this ceremony too, and he hadn't seen her in a few weeks.

"I'm okay," I managed to smile. "You have enough to worry about, and I shouldn't be part of that."

His eyes narrowed slightly as he took his hands off my shoulders. "Hinata, my personal issues have nothing to do with today. I know you are concerned about my relationship with Tenten, but please, do not worry. This day is about Hanabi. Not me."

Even so, I still could not help but worry about him. I wanted him to be happy; to be happy with Tenten. They both deserved it, and I hoped after the ceremony she would come home with us. "Have you seen her?"

Neji looked away, placing his hands in his pockets. "No, I have not. Not yet."

I cradled my hands in front of my dark dress. "Will she come home with us?"

He looked at me sadly, his pale eyes hiding his feelings. "I.." he began, but broke off as he looked towards the ground. "I can only hope, Hinata."

After a few more minutes of chatting to everyone, I decided it was time for speeches. A few people went up first, like some of Hanabis close friends. It was hard to watch, as they spoke about all the fun times they had together. To see so many young faces upset and full of sadness. They had also lost someone close to them. They had lost a friend.

Finally, it was my turn to speak. I looked out to the crowd nervously. I spotted a few familiar faces. Neji, Sakura and Ino. In the far distance I could see the Hokage and a few other members of the Hyuuga family, while to the left of the crowd I could see Officer Uzumaki watching me carefully. It must have been true that he was here on business, then. The way he was staring at me was like a dog guarding a piece of prized meat. I was not going to be let out of his sight.

With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and let the words come out of me like water would fall out of a pot.

"Thank you all for coming. As you all know, we are here to celebrate the life of my sister, Hanabi." I had everyone's attention. All of their eyes were on me. "She was a free spirit. Basically she would do whatever she wanted, despite our fathers instructions which were usually blunt 'nos'.

Hanabi was very successful in everything she did. She aced her sports classes, her sciences and even her math. She cared for everyone around, even though she had a strange way of showing it."

I looked down a little. This was far harder to do than I thought. All I could think about was how good it was when she was here; but now that shes gone, my life seemed to be almost pointless. I could feel my eyes tearing up as I struggled for words. The crowd began to mutter.

I quickly scanned the crowd. Ino and Sakura looked at me sadly. Closing my eyes, I tried my hardest not to let myself whimper, but I couldn't help it. Hanabi was my best friend. She was everything to me. We did everything together, and now she was gone.

The crowds muttering began to get louder. With clouded eyes I looked out, only to see my cousin, Neji leaving briskly. Officer Uzumaki following behind him closely. As I watched them, a bad feeling swept over me. I suddenly had the urge to go after them, to see what they were after. Neji wouldn't leave a ceremony as important as this for nothing; and I had a feeling the reason he was leaving was because of me.

"I-I'm s-sorry," I muttered to everyone as I ran after my cousin.

No matter how hard I tried, running over Konoha like a stray cat, I couldn't find Neji at all. I searched the normal places that I would think he would go, the old academy, the forest of death, even the Hokages office. Nothing.

I found myself down a dark alley, sitting amongst the rubbish with my head resting between my knees. I cried silently, feeling so guilty for leaving Hanabis ceremony like that. I should have finished my speech, I should have stayed and let Neji figure out whatever was happening on his own. But the bad feeling I got, I couldn't help myself. It was so strong, almost like I was a honey bee getting sucked into the pure smell of flowers in a meadow.

There was a stirring further down the alley way, and I got to my feet quickly, wiping the tears that was clouding my vision. I looked out into the street and the sun was beginning to set, but as I looked back into the alley, I could barely see a thing.

"W-Who's there!" I yelled nervously. "S-Show yourself!"

I didn't expect anyone to show, I half expected them to run away. But they didn't. Instead, all I saw was a flash of light, strong hands grasping onto my shoulders, my back hitting the alley wall hard. I cringed.

"Where were you last night, answer me!" the man yelled.

My eyes were closed, terrified. My heart was jumping out of my chest and I struggled for words.

"I asked you a question," He growled.

The voice sounded familiar, and as I hesitantly opened my eyes, all I could see was ocean blue eyes staring at me. "O-Officer... Uzumaki..?" I cried.

"I asked you a question, Hinata. Answer before I'm forced to arrest you!"

"W-what?" I struggled, trying to get out of his grasp. I couldn't though, he was far too strong.

His grip tightened, his eyes narrowing even more. He looked furious. "Tell me!"

"I was at the Konoha Inn!" I screamed.

Suddenly his grip loosened, his own hands dropping to his side, and he took a few steps away from me. Whimpering, I hugged myself, pushing back against the concrete wall as far as I could go. My heart was stammering, making me uncomfortably nervous and extremely immobile. I gulped as he looked at me with almost pity in his eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt you," He said calmly.

I shivered. "I-I wouldn't have thought that a few seconds ago..."

Officer Uzumaki looked at me sternly. "I would never hurt you. I was in character, I had to get the truth out of you. I needed to make sure."

I was confused. He needed to make sure what? That I was here, in Konoha? Or that I wasn't out robbing a bank? "I-I don't u-understand.."

"Hinata, I'm sorry," He sighed. "Your father was murdered last night."

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHORS NOTE: Hey guys! Sorry it took so long, and I really have no excuse this time D: I'm lazy, I know! But yeah, please review if you feel the need to yell at me and tell me im slack :)<strong>


	8. The Hunter and The Hunted

It was like the first day I was told had Hanabi died. It was stormy, thunder and lightning riddled the sky, while rain poured down, flooding the streets and turning them into rivers. I was sat at the window sill of Neji's house, watching the rain pour, flooding the garden out front. It was all too similar, I was reliving my nightmare.

After Officer Uzumaki told me the horrible news, Neji was not too far behind. They both had it out, in the alley. Neji was distraught that Naruto would even think I would do something so sinister, but on the other hand, I couldn't blame him, after everything that happened with Hanabis death. I was prime suspect from the beginning. I had the means and the motive. Officer Uzumaki knew that, too.

But it wasn't me that did it, and after all these weeks of accusations, I was finally told that everything was going to be okay. I was being framed.

Neji explained everything to me clearly. I wasn't allowed to see Hanabis body, and I wasn't told anything about the condition of her, or how she died. But now I knew it all. It still chilled me to the bone, knowing that someone, or something, was out there hunting me down. The last pure Hyuuga.

Hanabi was abducted, her eyes burned from her head. Neji was sure that someone was trying to steal our Kekkei Genkai. When they found my fathers body, his eyes were found beside him, dark and covered in a strange brown dust. They also found my wallet, that had been missing for a few weeks. That was the reason Officer Uzumaki questioned me, because my wallet was found at the scene of the crime. But whoever was after my father, obviously didn't realize that I was away.

With the way that my sister and father were murdered, gave away signs that they were both killed for a reason. Their eyes. Now I was the only one left, the only pure Hyuuga without a curse mark. Neji was safe. I wasn't.

I was now kept on official lock down. Nejis home was now my permanent residence. I was not allowed to leave. There were police constantly watching the house, while my cousin was constantly worrying and locking all doors and all windows. I knew that all of this was supposed to make me feel safe, but all it did was make me more terrified.

I was being hunted.

I was someones prey.

* * *

><p>I couldn't sleep that night. All I could think about was my dead family members. I could only see their eyes, falling from their heads and disintegrating as soon as they touched the ground. The dreams were terrifying, so terrifying I found myself up and out of bed, making my way down stairs to get me a drink of water.<p>

I was only half way down the stairs before I stopped, my hand resting nervously on the rail. I could hear voices coming from the kitchen. They whispered secretly, muttering things that I couldn't really understand. I decided I needed to get closer.

Pushing my hair behind my ears, I tip toed quietly, holding my hands stiffly at my sides. I could see Neji leaning on the kitchen bench, while opposite him Officer Uzumaki paced uncomfortably. I hid myself behind the closest cabinet, peeking my head around and watching them carefully.

"You do realize what this means, Naruto," Neji said darkly, his hands tightening on the kitchen bench. "There is nothing else we can do. Everything that has happened, it points to _him._"

"Dammit," Naruto growled, his hand nervously grabbing at his hair. "I don't want to believe it, there has to be something else. Someone else."

Neji narrowed his eyes. "Like my cousin?"

"No," he retorted strongly. "You know I don't think it was her. I just don't think _he-"_

"He is perfectly capable of doing everything!" Neji yelled back, pointing at him directly. I took a step back, never seeing so much anger in my cousins eyes before. "He killed my cousin, and my uncle. Now he is after Hinata, and you can not deny that."

Narutos eyes dropped to the ground. It was the first time I had ever seen him sad. He was such a mask, ever since I was arrested, but this was the first time I could actually see his emotions.

"He's my friend, Neji. We fought together. We have a bond."

"He also killed half of your own men, sabotaged your fleet, and stole many kekkei genkai!" Neji slammed is fist on the bench. "Do you not get it Naruto? He is bad news. He is going to kill my cousin if we do not stop him. Do you want that?"

Naruto looked at Neji with determination. "No."

"Then prove it," Neji scowled. "Find him, because everything we know points to him."

Naruto turned on his heel, his eyes full of anger and started walking towards me. I panicked, turning around as quickly as I could and bolted up the stairs. As I hid in the shadows at the top of the stairs, I watched Naruto as he opened the door. His shoulders were slumped sadly. I briefly wondered if it was true, if it was this man that Naruto knew that was out to get me. I secretly hoped that it wasn't, for his sake, but then I also hoped that they found whoever it was quickly, so I could be safe.

Before he walked out, Naruto looked up towards the stairs. I froze instantly, as he looked me straight in the eyes. I knew he could see me, just by the way he was staring. His eyes looked so fresh and light, but as he blinked I saw sadness and fear. He was scared that it could be his friend. He was scared he was going to lose him. In that moment, I felt like I could almost reach out to him, that I could almost comfort him. But it was over within a split second. He broke the stare, leaving with a signature slam at the door.

* * *

><p>It was a miracle that I was able to get back to sleep. It came naturally, and I was able to dream sweet dreams. Nothing horrible like I was before. I stirred a lot in my sleep though, my hair constantly getting twisted around my neck. I groaned, thinking it would help my hair ease off, but it didn't.<p>

Strangely, I felt warm hands touching my neck. Half asleep, I wasn't complaining. The warm hands moved my hair away from my neck, carefully and gently. I was able to breathe freely again. The hands then began to massage my neck, moving to my shoulders, then falling down my arms. It felt strange.

It was then, I fully woke up. With a gasp, the warm hands were then covering my mouth, pushing me into my bed deeply. I tried to scream, but they were muffled by the mans hands. My heart began to race uncontrollably. I could feel it pounding hard, and no doubt the strange man could too. As my eyes quivered, I took in as much of the man as I could; but with the darkness, I couldn't see much. He had dark hair, pale skin. I couldn't see his eyes. I tried to scream again. He laughed.

"There is no use trying to struggle. I can over power _so_ easily," he drawled out. With one hand on my mouth, he used his other hand to hold one of my eyes open. I began to tear up. "Truly beautiful," he muttered. "So pure, so fresh. Yours are definitely different to the others. Not as strong, but different."

I cried under his grasp, pushing at him, trying to get him off me. But it was useless. I was going to die. He was going to tear me apart like he did with the rest of my family.

"Now," he smiled. "How will I make the extraction with out destroying your gift..."

I was about to scream, when there was the sound of a door slamming down stairs. The man sat up immediately, hands still covering my mouth. He looked furious as he looked out towards the hallway.

"This isn't over," he whispered to me. "I will get what I want. Nothing can stop me now."

With a flash, he disappeared into dust. I screamed my lungs out, getting out of bed and running down stairs as fast as I could.

My eyes were full of tears as I forcefully hugged whoever came through the door. I didn't have a chance to look at them, I was so scared, so terrified at what had just happened. I almost died, and within those precious few seconds, someone had come through that door and saved my life. I was so grateful. So, _so,_ grateful.

"Hinata, what's wrong?"

I stopped my whimpering, my fingers twisting around a t-shirt. This wasn't who I expected to be hugging, and I wasn't expecting them to hug me back. I was hoping it was Neji; but it wasn't. It was Officer Uzumaki.

"H-he... w-was. M-My room," I struggled to say, burying my face deeper into his chest. "It was him..."

Naruto tensed, but his arms wrapped around me tighter. "You're okay?" I nodded. "Don't worry. I wont let him hurt you. I promise."

I closed my eyes, crying in fear. This wasn't who I was expecting comfort from, but I wasn't complaining. I could only just hope that he could keep his promise. I was now relying on him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Woooo another chapter updated quickly! I know this one is short, but I needed to get this out of the way so I could start on the next! So yeah, hopefully this will be the start of the NaruHina stuffs :) Tell me how you guys feel about this chapter! Would be appreciated :)<strong>


	9. Mysterious Dreams

Sirens.

Police.

Crime Scene.

I was zombified. Sitting in the lounge with the fire crackling before me, I blatantly ignored the police as they searched the house for evidence. Neji and Naruto were outside speaking privately, while Inoichi Yamanaka sat not too far from me, watching every move I made. I was not sure what he was searching for, but he stared at me like he was looking for something. Lies? Confessions? I didn't know. All I could do was ignore him too.

My mind was constantly going over what happened those few hours ago. I was sleeping so quietly and comfortably, I didn't even hear him come in. I closed my eyes tightly, as flashes of his face burned through my memories. I couldn't see anything specific, like eye colour or nose shape, but I could see his hair and his pale skin. His hands were incredibly warm for someone that was committing such a cold crime.

"Hinata."

The voice broke me from my day dreaming, and I looked over to Neji. He was standing with a slight slump in his shoulders, his hands shoved deeply into his pockets. Neji's hair was a mess, his shirt was unbuttoned and his eyes looked worn and tired out. He waved me over, and I stood up quickly, wrapping myself in my own arms.

"How are you feeling?" He asked me as we got into the kitchen, with hardly anyone around to watch.

I could still see Inoichi watching me from the lounge, his eyes never letting me go. I shivered. "I-I'm scared," I whispered. "Am I going to be safe?"

I felt guilty as soon as I spoke. There was something in Nejis eyes that made me think that he thought he was guilty. His expression saddened, his skin paled as soon as I spoke. I reached out to him.

"No, don't," He muttered. I pulled my hand away slowly, shocked at his strange change in behavior. It hurt seeing him reject my comfort. He had never done it before, we were always so close. "I can't believe he almost got to you, in my own home."

"Neji," I whispered.

He shook his head at me. His eyes watery almost as if he was about to cry. "Hinata, you are not safe with me. You almost died under my roof."

"Neji, I'm fine now," my lip started to quiver. "We will get him. It's only a matter of time-"

"Stop it, stop it now!" He grabbed me by the shoulders. "You can not stay with me any longer. He knows you are here, he will come after you and I can not stop him. You almost died-"

"I didn't die!" I yelled at him. "I'm alive, I'm here! I'm not dead!"

Neji let me go. His hands dropped to his sides and he laughed nervously. My breathing began to pick up as I was confused to why he was laughing. It actually made me angry. Neji, my calm and cool cousin was laughing at time like this? I didn't understand. Most of all, I didn't like it. I could feel my brows furrowing.

"You have no choice, Hinata. I can not risk your life anymore. You need to stay with someone else."

"What?" I demanded. Furious at his actions, I knew this was a time that I had to stand up for myself. I had never done it before, but this was something I believed in. Why would I be safer with someone else? No one in this town would know me as well as my cousin.

"I do not want to risk your life anymore. He broke in to my home, Hinata. He had you at his finger tips. And where was I? No where to be seen. I can not afford for this to happen again. You need to be with someone that will be with you at all times. Someone that can look after you."

"No," I said furiously.

Neji looked at me strangely, one brow propped higher than the other. "Excuse me?"

I closed my eyes for a brief second, willing away the chakra that I could feel crawling through my face. I had never been this angry at Neji before, and it was starting to show. My byakugan was activating on its own. This was the first time it had done this in a long time. "I said no, Neji. I'm not leaving."

Neji's fists were clenched at his sides. I could tell he was looking at my eyes. "Are you threatening me, Hinata? You know this will not go in your favor."

I flinched a little at his words, feeling my byakugan fully take over my eyes. The chakra was pulsing through me powerfully, I could feel myself becoming cocky. I was not going to leave this house. I was not going to leave Neji. No matter how hard he tried to push me away.

"Fine," he muttered through clenched teeth. "If that's how you want to play it. I will make you leave, Hinata, and if this is the way you want to go about this, then so be it."

It was then that I shoved him. Shoved him so hard that my chakra blew him through the kitchen and into the lounge. Landing just before the front door. I looked at my hands, scared. Through my byakugan I could see the chakra flowing out of my main points like nothing. I had never been this angry at Neji, ever. I had never struck him before either.

Neji wiped his bottom lip, activating his byakugan quickly. With a quick step, I knew I had to make my move before Neji could make his. If he took a strike at me, I would be done for, I would have to leave him. The moment I was a meter away from him, he was already up, his fingers pressed to my forehead.

Suddenly, I felt all my power, all my confidence leave me. My byakugan was gone. My body was limp. I dropped to the ground tears falling from my eyes. Neji stood above me, his byakugan looking strong and merciless.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "But this is for your own good."

It was then that my vision went black.

* * *

><p>My dreams were filled with lights and bubbles popping and shinning through a meadow full of long grass. I was in that meadow, watching the butterflies suck at the nectar from the multi coloured flowers. A few butterflies flew over to me, landing on my hand as I held it out to them like a perch. I smiled cheerfully, like I didn't have a care in the world. I was so happy in this meadow, I had no worries. I was free.<p>

Suddenly, there was a strange gust of wind. I looked over the crest, down the luscious green grass; only to see a dark mist boiling just beyond the meadows outskirts. Watching the butterflies carefully, they sat there vibrating like they were a bomb about to go off. My heart began to stammer as I slowly watched the dark mist getting closer and closer; engulfing all of the beauty this meadow held. The butterflies flew from my hand, twisting and turning as the dark mist got closer. It was only a matter of time before they turned into to dust.

A small breath escaped my lips as I turned on my heel and ran for my life. The long grass whipped at my legs as I bolted through the pasture. I turned my head to look behind me, but the mist was catching up to me far too quickly. Strangely, out of no where, I tripped; falling straight on my face. With my hair in the way, I tried to look behind me, but it was too late. The mist was there, and with a giant roar it engulfed me too.

For a second I thought I was going to turn to dust like the butterflies did, but I didn't. I was completely alive. Everything was so quiet that I could hear my breathing echoing as my lungs struggled to hold onto any oxygen. I gulped, pulling my self to my feet, my knees wobbling like crazy. As I stood, I took in my surroundings. The mist had caved over my like an air bubble. Its was grey with red mixed in it, small sparks of lightning ran through the walls. This was the most strange thing I had ever seen in my life. The worst thing about it was that it didn't feel like a dream at all.

"How nice to see you again, Miss Hyuuga."

I recognized that voice. I knew that voice. Carefully, I looked over my shoulder and my eyes twitched in fear at the man that I saw. "II-t's y-you..." I stuttered.

He pushed his dark hair away from his eyes, revealing dark onyx orbs that stared at me intently. I hadn't seen him in a few years, but I still knew who he was. It was Sasuke Uchiha. The man that went rogue. He smiled at me then and I shivered, taking a few steps backwards.

"Now, now," He smirked. "Don't be scared. I'm not going to hurt you."

I gulped, my eyes shaking as I stared at the man before me. He was the one that killed my sister, that killed my father; it was him. "G-Get out of m-my dream," I tried to say as strongly as I could.

He laughed at me, taking a step closer. "Oh, you think this is your dream, do you?" He waved his hands in the air effortlessly. "I beg to differ. This is _my_ dream. I am the one in control."

I closed my eyes shut with my fists clenched at my sides. I had to will this away. After all, it was only dream, and dreams weren't real. "It's only a dream," I whispered. "Only a dream."

Suddenly my eyes were torn open by a strange force. No matter how hard I tried to close them, it felt like they were being pried open by some invisible fingers.

"Now listen to me very carefully," Sasuke smirked, his finger pointed directly at me and urging me closer. My body began to move on its own. "I will get what I came for, and if that means I have to mentally crush you first, I will do that. The more you sleep, the more I appear. The less you sleep, the more chance I have of getting you when your guard is down. Do you understand me?"

He had mysteriously pulled me close enough to him so that I was only an arms length away from him. I trembled as he reached his hand out to touch my face. I pulled away as much as I could. "I-I wont go down w-without a fight," I stuttered. "You c-can try all you want, b-but I will s-stand up to you."

Sasuke slapped my cheek lightly. "Foolish girl. Do you know how many men have tried to stop me? Do you know how many failed? All of them. So what makes you think you can be any different?"

My lips quivered in fear as I tried to gain control back over my body. "I-I don't k-know..."

He leaned close to me, so close that his lips were barely resting on my earlobe. I cringed, terrified. "I will get what I want. I always do. I may have failed with your Father and your Sister, but I will not fail with you. I know the secret now. Your pretty little eyes will be mine.:"

I felt like I was watching my own funeral. I could see the man that was going to kill me, I knew how I was going to die, I just didn't know when. I couldn't hold it in any longer, the tears just came naturally. He was tearing me apart.

"Scared, are you?" He asked, pulling away from me. Whimpers escaped my lips as he laughed sadistically. "I didn't expect this to be so easy. This mental torture. Maybe he was wrong about you, maybe you're not that strong."

"H-he..?" I blurted out without actually thinking.

With his hands on his hips, Sasuke cocked his brow. "Oh I see, you don't know who I'm talking about. I guess I'll just have to tell you," his smile dropped. "I'm talking about Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey guys! So in this chapter I kind of wanted to capture a bit of Hinatas strong points, like how shes trying to stand up for herself. I know its not really her character in this story, but to me she is fed up with everything and wants to fight back. So I hope you all liked it, and please do me the pleasure of reviewing :)<strong>


	10. A New Home

My head was pounding like some one had taken to me with a hammer. It throbbed badly, but I pushed it aside as I tried to open my eyes. Dark strands of my hair covered my vision, but with a quick sweep of my hand, it was clear again.

The one thing that wasn't clear though, was that I had no idea where I was.

I sat up so quickly that blood seemed to rush to my skull, making the throbbing worse. Groaning, I tried to push the pain away taking in all of my surrounding. Wooden floors, pale walls with pictures of martial artist all over them. Looking down I realized I was sleeping on a futon mattress. I definitely wasn't at Neji's anymore...

Suddenly, I snapped. I remembered trying to fight Neji, he told me he couldn't keep me safe anymore. We fought. He won. He knocked me out with the simple swipe of his back hand. A part of me began to grow in ultimate fury. All the years I had trained with my sister, and yet I could still not stand up to my own cousin. My hands began to shake as I stared at them, my finger nails full of dirt.

I whimpered, my head falling back onto the pillows, only to have my memory jolted yet again. My dream. That horrible dream. No, it wasn't a dream, it felt far too real. One thing was for certain though, I knew who had killed my father and my sister. I knew why he was out to do it and I knew he was going to come after me. It was Sasuke Uchiha, and Naruto Uzumaki was helping him.

My emotions were beginning to take over. I was starting to feel betrayed.

How could someone like Officer Uzumaki get away with something like this? He was helping my cousin, he attended my sisters _funeral_. That bastard wasn't just fooling me, he was fooling Inoichi Yamanaka, the best interrogator around; he was also fooling Neji, one of the best detectives of his generation, and worst of all; he was fooling me.

I couldn't keep my anger under control. It was fueling me, hitting my heart like an arrow piercing straight through it. My eyes began to water and soon I found myself whimpering and crying. He wasn't the man that I thought he was. This wasn't the Naruto that I grew up with when I was young. He was out to kill me, he was out to kill my entire family. Rolling over to my side, I hugged myself, feeling the only warmth that I could gather. I was on my own now, I had no one here to help me. Neji was gone, he believed he could not protect me anymore, when really I should have stayed with him the entire time. It was what Sasuke wanted, he wanted us separated. And now we are.

_Knock, Knock_

My heart froze.

Struggling to pull myself to up, a took a quick glimpse towards the door. For some reason I was half expecting a woman dressed in a nurses uniform to come and lather me with drugs. But that was not what I saw. Standing at my door way with a tray full of breakfast foods, was Rock Lee; dressed in his usual green spandex. I gulped in confusion and curiosity.

"Miss Hinata!" Lee smiled, bouncing towards me. I sat up as he gracefully placed the tray of food down on my lap. "I am so glad to see you again! It has been far too long. Now-" Lee broke off, his smile suddenly dissapearing.

"It's good to see you too, Lee," I tried to smile, but he knelt on his knees staring at me intently.

"Miss Hinata," Lee said sadly. "I know you are not happy here, but please do not cry. The only way to get better is to smile, everyone knows that."

I quickly wiped my tears away. I-I'm so sorry Lee. I had no idea where I was, I-I..."

Lee chuckled lightly. "I understand. This is why I have made you breakfast! Please, eat. You will feel much better."

Taking in a deep breath, I smile at Lee as much as I can. If I knew something, I knew one thing was for certain. If Neji was not here, Lee was sure to protect me.

* * *

><p>It was another couple of nights with that horrible dream. I woke up tired, restless and upset. It was starting to show in my eyes. The dark rings that began to form started to worry Lee, he tried all his best to be able to help me.<p>

"How long has this been going on?" He asked, passing me a cup of green tea.

"Two, three nights max," I replied. "I don't know how to control it, I should be able to control it, right?"

Lee watched me for a second, his thick brows furrowed in concentration. "Not if it is genjustsu."

My fingers twitched. "B-but I thought that was only a myth. Only the elders can use it."

"It would'nt surprise me if the Uchiha has figured out a way to tap into his own type of genjustsu. If it is the same dream you are having Hinata, and he is saying the same things to you, he may be using it to deteriorate your health."

"You mean..." I trailed off.

Lee nodded. "Yes. He is weakening you through your sleep. Making you an easier target."

I gulped, feeling my soul leave my body. Even in my sleep I was an easy target for him. If Naruto could not get me in this world, then Sasuke was determined to get me from my own sleep. My hand tightened around my tea cup.

Lee watched me, his expression dropping as he watched the pain on my face. He knew he couldn't do anything to help me, he wasn't the kind of guy that was able to help anyone's mental state of mind. Lee was more of a physical help kind of man, like a chiropractor.

"I'm doomed," I mumbled. "I'm actually doomed." Lee gasped a little, leaning his head to the side. "I'm, sorry," I muttered. "But its true. If they are able to get me in both state of minds, I am doomed. No one can help me."

"You do not know that yet, Miss Hinata" Lee growled. "I understand your frustration, but you can not just give up."

I frowned. "I'm not giving up-"

"You are," he interrrupted. "You may not know it but I see the look in your eyes. I can see beyond the dark rings that frame your Hyuuga gift. I may act like an idiot Miss Hinata, but I am no fool."

Looking to the ground, I could feel my insides tightening. Maybe I was giving up, but so what if I was? I couldn't do anything. If Neji was unable to stop him, then who was?

"We will find someone," Lee spoke, his hand resting on mine. "And if we do not, then I will put my own life on the line to protect yours."

Shocked, I looked up to him, my eyes wide with concern. "No, you can't."

Lee smiled, his thumb held out, pointing up. "I have made a promise to Neji, and I intend on keeping it."

My insides began to tighten even more, my eyes beginning to brim with tears. "B-but," I managed to stutter. "Y-you're going to die!" I cried. "There is no one that can help me, Lee. No one!"

"I can help."

I froze instantly, and I could feel Lees hand tightening around my own. This was going to be it, this was going to be the moment that I left this world. I had done all that I could to help try and bring my sisters killer to justice, but all it ended up in was me becoming the hunted. If I was going to die here, I was going to do it fighting. I couldn't let Lee die for me, I couldn't bare to see any more blood shed. This was my time. I was going to fight.

"Byakugan!"

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><p><strong>AN: Hey guys! SO sorry! I thought I had uploaded this chapter! Turns out I had totally forgotten! I know its short but I sadly dont have a lot of time to make long chapters so they are going to be spread out a lot more. Anyway, if anyone is still reading, review and make me happy :P<strong>


	11. Too Close For Comfort

_Know thy enemy_

That's all that was going through my head. Know thy enemy. I knew who my enemy was, there were two of them, and one of them happened to be standing right before me. The police uniform that he wore with pride no longer meant anything for me, it was like seeing a wolf in sheeps clothing. It was a mask. I knew what he was really after.

Rock Lee stood at my side, his fists rounded as if he was ready to strike at any moment. I knew what he was thinking though, he didn't think it could be him. Lee didn't want to believe it was him. There was a part of me that didn't want to believe either; but my life was at risk, I wasn't going to have a chance to _try_ and trust him. I knew he was bad. Officer Uzumaki was bad.

"Naruto," Lee said carefully. "I think it would be best if you would leave. You are worrying my guest."

Naruto removed his hat, letting it drop to the floor while he smirked lightly. He placed his hands up and looked Lee dead in the eyes. There was an awkward silence, but with my chakra infused eyes I could see what Naruto was doing. His chakra points were getting more heated, he was gathering it all up, getting ready to strike.

"I mean no harm. I can help." he said again.

I clenched my fists. "I don't believe you," my eyes thinned. "He told me everything."

Naruto placed his hands down hesitantly, his expression puzzled. "He?"

"Officer Uzumaki," Lee spoke again, this time his tone demanding. "Please, leave."

"No," Naruto spat back. "She needs my help."

"So you can kill me?" I shot at him.

His fingers twitched at his sides as his blue eyes looked at me, drained. My insides still felt tight as I looked at him, his gaze dropping to the ground. I wanted to believe that he wasn't going to hurt me, I wanted to believe that he was the cheerful young boy I grew up with. But I couldn't. Not after Sasuke.

"Why would I want to kill you," the words seemed to be seething through his teeth. "Why would I have any interest in wanting to kill you, Hinata?" His voice began to rise. "All I want to do is help."

"I don't believe you," I mumbled. "I can't."

Lee rose, his arms crossed over his chest tightly. What was he going to do? Was he going to fight him?

"I believe you."

My arms dropped to my side, my heart stammering as my byakugan fell away, along with my confidence. "W-what?"

"Many people do not know this about me, Miss Hinata, but I am very skilled at telling whether a person is lying or not. He may not be as easy as he was to read a few years ago, but his heart is still pure. Naruto wants to help you. I think we should give him a chance."

* * *

><p>For once, I was dreaming of something other than that deadly meadow. I was at Konoha High, sitting right at the back of the class like I always did, shying away from anyone that tried to talk to me. Espcially Naruto. He was extremely boisterous, yelling and laughing at anything he could. He was so different to what he was now, he was barely even the same person.<p>

Iruka Sensei was at the front of the class, his expression obviously furious as he yelled at Naruto to stay in his seat. I watched him from a far, just like how I used to. He laughed and smiled like he had no care in the world, yet out of everyone he should have been the saddest.

Naruto was an orphan, and being at the academy with superficial teenagers, well, he wasn't very liked. He didn't care though, he pushed through, he studied and he made it through.

I sighed slightly, resting my head on my hands as I watched him carefully. His eyes sparkled like nothing I had ever seen before. There was a glow to them that no one else had. Was it determination?

Suddenly there was movement at my side, and I froze in my seat. Sasuke sat himself down in the seat next to me, his expression blank and lonely. I could feel my heart racing as he looked over to me. I half expected him to smirk, or to say something that was going to scare me to death, but he didn't. He grunted, pulled out his books and began to study.

My whole body was shaking. What was happening? Was this not one of his dreams that he was able to control? Was this actually my dream?

I immediately looked down towards Naruto, he had changed. He wasn't smiling, he wasn't laughing, he wasn't cracking any kind of jokes. He looked older, and worst off, sadder. This was the Naruto I knew today, this was Officer Uzumaki.

"Is this my dream?" I asked hesitantly.

He shook his head. "No."

"Get out of my head," I demanded, my body shaking.

He rolled his eyes slightly. "Would you rather me? Or him?"

I frowned a little at his question, a lump forming in my throat. "Neither of you."

"I'm your safest option."

"How can I trust you?"

He smiled a small quirky smile and proceeded to look around him. "Apparently this is supposed to be one of your fondest memories."

I was baffled. This was a memory? I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down. This wasn't like the dream with Sasuke, it still had a happy feel to it, nothing had turned dark on me. I gulped, walking towards the head of the class, passing by my fellow class mates. Sakura, Choji, Shikamaru. They were all there. It was like I was actually back in high school again.

I managed to look out the window, the sky was blue, and there were birds chirping happily in the trees. This wasn't a bad dream. This wasn't like Sasukes.

"How do you know this is my memory," I turned and asked. "How do you know this isn't made up?"

Naruto took a few steps closer to me, and I strangely felt like I was safe. I didn't have the urge to run or the urge to try and fight my way out of this room. There was a kind of peace in the air, it was so much better than the pain and trauma that I was going through.

"I cast genjutsu on you, specifically targeting one of your fondest memories," He put his hands in his pant pockets, almost like it was habit. "I don't get it though, seems rather boring to me."

I glanced over to him slightly insulted, but the feeling quickly fell away when I saw the playful smile that was playing on his lips.

There was something about his smile that reminded me of something, reminded me of... "Oh... Oh no..." I mumbled, my cheeks beginning to burn.

I remembered now. This memory, this _specific_ memory was the day that...

Naruto cocked a brow. "You remember now?"

"T-This was the day t-that," He seemed to lean in a little closer, I could feel my cheeks burning hotter. "Y-you told me I w-was pretty."

* * *

><p>I woke up with a gasp.<p>

Somehow I had managed to tear the blankets off of me and send them half way across the room. My heart was stammering as I tried to process what had just happened. Did he really target one of my memories? And if so, why that specific one? I was starting to feel confused, my head was spinning and all the information I was taking in was beginning to make me feel sick. I groaned slightly, only to be shocked by the figure sitting directly opposite me.

My breaths were shallow and loud. Any one within a mile could probably hear me. Not only that, my heart was thumping like crazy, I couldn't seem to control it.

I could barely make out the figure in front of me, but I had a feeling I knew who it was. It was Naruto, he was looking out for me.

Many things were going through my head, like; I should go back to sleep, I should kick him out for being so rude, I should thank him for giving me a sleepless night. I didn't do any of those. It was like my body had a mind of its own as I slowly crawled across the carpet towards him. I stopped when I was close enough to hear his breath.

It was sweet like the early rain before the storm. Enjoyable and peaceful, nothing terrible ofr horrid about it. My body kept moving closer to him, as I had the sudden urge to want to be wrapped in his arms. It was something I had wanted for a long time, something I wanted since before high school. I always assumed that he would have been with Sakura by now, they always had some kind of bond that I was never able to establish with him. But that was my own fault, I was too shy, and by the time he left Konoha, I knew it was too late.

I didn't think I would see him again. I didn't expect it. Especially under the circumstances of my poor sister, and my father. I didn't think he would be here. That strange, tight feeling was starting to build up inside me again. All the pain that I had felt, everything that was going on with my life slowly building up. My sister. My father. My cousin. I had no one. I was still alone.

It wasn't long before tears dripped from my eyes. I could hear the small patter as they fell on my knees. My life was hell, and I had no idea what I was doing anymore. Was I simply surviving until that fateful moment that Sasuke Uchiha found me? That's all it felt like.

Suddenly, warm arms embraced me, pulling me in and holding me close. I hugged back, as strongly and emotionally as I could. I felt safe in his arms. I felt at home.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So this was the story that I was supposed to upload today, but I saddly didnt realise that I hadnt updated the previous chapter. So lucky for you guys, two in one day! Let me know what you think, I feel I may be drifting away from Hinatas character a bit? I dunno! <strong>


	12. Banshee

This foyer brought back a lot of memories. This was the first place that I actually saw my cousin lose his cool. I was here, yet again, in the infamous police station. I had been called in immediately for some kind of emergency; I was unsure of what it was.

It was still too cold in here.

I sat with my hands between my legs, trying to keep as much as my body heat in as possible as the cold metal seat seemed to be getting colder by the second. I was unsure how to feel about today, I was concerned, but then I was almost excited. Was it good news, or bad? I didn't know.

What I did know though, was that I couldn't seem to get Naruto out of my head. I could feel a small blush spreading across my cheek as I lowered my head, to make sure no one could see. The feelings that were processing within me as we sat in that embrace drove me insane. I swore he could feel my heart thundering out of my chest. He didn't say anything though, and by the morning I was back on my futon and he was no where to be seen.

Except for now.

I didn't even have to look up to know it was him standing before me. I could hear his footsteps like they were the only ones in the foyer. They echoed and rang, playing on my ears like a soft tune. I knew it was him, Naruto.

I slowly looked up to him, my hair falling away from my face as I hoped the blush had disappeared. He was looking down at me with a distinct kind of stare. I wasn't sure what it was, or if it had any kind of meaning towards it; he just looked blank.

"O-Officer Uzumaki..." I mumbled.

He simply exhaled and said, "Please, follow me."

My whole body seemed to move without me knowing, following him like a small puppy would its new owner.

I flinched a little inside. A puppy. I was like a puppy when I was around him now. Something in the past few weeks had changed. I was no longer intimidated by him, the very sight of him didn't send strange chills down my spine. Now all I felt was this small flame in the pit of my stomach. I could feel it getting hotter whenever I see him.

I was getting feelings for him.

The door slammed, and I soon realised that I was in my cousins office. I looked around, Naruto was no where to be seen. But before me sat my cousin, his hair tied loosely, his eyes rimmed dark. I immediately felt concerned. Had he not slept in days? Was he eating? Was he too busy thinking about Tenten?

"Neji..." I said worryingly as I sat before him. He could barely look me in the eyes.

"Hinata..." His eyes seemed to twitch as he said my name. I started to worry. I clasped my hands together tightly, holding on for dear life as if it were somehow going to change what was happening. My palms were starting to sweat. "I have some terrible news."

I gulped a little, searching for something within him that would hopefully give me an insight. There was nothing. "P-please Neji. J-Just tell me," I asked.

He looked up to me then with the most emotionally broken eyes I had ever seen. His eyes, bloodshot, full of fear and pain. The bright spark that used to be there when we were children was gone; it was a cruel thing to see. I could feel my own eyes start to water, as if I could feel all of the worry and pain that he was going through. My stomach grew tight.

"It is believed that in your situation," He exhaled, leaning his head into his palms in frustration. "that you are in no danger. You can not be held under protective police custody anymore."

In that moment I felt my whole life slip away from me. My heart sunk and my limbs felt weak. I was an open target, Sasuke was going to find me. I stood quickly, pushing the chair away from me as I stumbled to the door.

Neji got to his feet, coming over to me as fast as he could. I was crying, I couldn't hear myself whimper, I couldn't feel the tears, but I knew I was crying. My stomach twisted and turned with every breath I took, and I could feel Neji's arms wrapping around me, comforting me. All I could see were the images of my dead family members. All I could think about was that, I was going to be next.

I screamed.

* * *

><p>Everything seemed to be fuzzy. I didn't really remember what happened after the talk that happened in Neji's office. I was home now though, with Neji, in the old room that I stayed in upstairs. I sat on the bed motionless and soundless. It was like I was in my own little trance.<p>

There was a lot of things going through my head, and no doubt I was over analyzing everything that I had heard. But what else was I supposed to do? The police department wasn't going to help me at all anymore, I had to rely and pray to god that I was going to be okay.

Was this how Hanabi felt before she died? Helpless, useless, weak. No, my sister was nothing like that. She was strong and Hanabi would have fought to the very end. I could only wish that I had as much strength as she did. I was the weak, innocent sister, while Hanabi was the strong, opinionated sister that didn't take crap from anyone. Why couldn't I be more like her?

Maybe if I was stronger, maybe if I was able to think like her, maybe I would have a better chance at surviving. If only I could train myself, strengthen my byakugan then maybe I could do it.

I sighed to myself. I had been worrying myself for hours now, not moving, not eating and not talking. I needed to talk to Neji, I needed to see if he was okay. Maybe he could help me with my byakugan, maybe he would have some tips for me to get stronger. I chuckled to myself a little. It seemed a bit silly that I was actually thinking of getting stronger, of growing and getting more power. That was not me. I didn't think like that.

"What are you laughing about?"

I looked to my door. It was Naruto.


	13. Their Eyes

**AN:Hey guys! So this is going to be the first and only chapter not in Hinata's POV. Its just to kinda show everyone elses POV. Lemme Know what you think :P**

* * *

><p>Neji could barely heart the rain outside his cramped office; it drizzled and patted on the metal power box outside like an annoying knock at the door.<p>

He groaned, this was the hardest thing he had to do. If it wasn't bad enough that he had already lost Tenten, he was so close to losing Hinata too. They were the most precious things to him in his life, and yet both of them felt as if they were miles away.

It had been weeks since Tenten had contacted him. A part of Neji wanted to call her, to write to her, or to even vist her. But another part of him knew that she deserved better than what he was offering her. Neji was never there for Tenten, he was never home. How was she supposed to feel loved if he was never there to show her how much he cared?

With a single swipe of his hand all of Nejis papers fell to the ground. He was so upset and lost; he couldn't fathom even living without Tenten. She was his rock, she kept him grounded and yet all he could do was treat her like nothing, like she was some doll at home just waiting for him to finish work.

Maybe if she was still with him she would have helped him make a better decision when it came to Hinata, because as far as Neji was concerned, he wasn't sure that he had.

Some officials higher ranking than himself, had some brilliant planed to catch this killer. They thought that it would be best if the person of interest, Hinata, thought that she was vulnerable and in danger, then the killer would strike. Neji disagreed to this, he wasn't going to put Hinata through this kind of torture; but they left him with an ultimatum. Either he told Hinata that she was no longer under police protection, or he was off the case.

He couldn't help but think that if Tenten were here, she would have given him some kind of insight, some kind of guidence into making the right decision. Neji still wondered if he had made the right decision. Maybe his superiors were right, maybe if Hinata did think she was vulnerable, then maybe the killer would strike.

Neji just prayed to the gods, prayed to anyone that he could, and hoped that Hinata was going to be safe.

* * *

><p>Everything around him was falling apart.<p>

Naruto stood in the rain, his blonde hair soaked to the bone as she held his hand against Nejis front door; frozen and lost in motion. He wanted to knock, or to atleast let Hinata know he was outside., but he couldn't do it. There was so much going on in his mind; everything was starting to form together like a complicated puzzle.

It all made sense; the bodies, the way their eyes were torn from their skulls. There weren't just normal murders, they were carefully calculate and strategic kills al within the same family. He was after something in particular, a certain kekkei genkai.

Naruto ran his hand through his hair, his fingers pushing the water away from his scalp and all the way down his neck. With a groan he realized how familiar these kills were; they were all too familiar with the kills that happened while he was at war.

It was only Naruto and Sasuke, they had infiltrated an enemy village and taken a small family hostage. Naruto had no intention of killing anyone, but Sasuke had other plans. Little did Naruto know, Sasuke knew a few secrets about this village that no one knew about. He knew there was a special Kekkai genkai in this village, and he knew that the family that they had taken hostage was the ones who held it.

It was only a matter of minutes before Sasuke had slaughtered the entire family. Blood splattered the walls, pooled o the wooden floors and soaked Naruto's clothes.

That was the moment that Naruto changed. He watched his best friend murder an entire family, all at the same time changing into someone that Naruto did not know. He murdered people. He stole their kekkei genkai. He could remember the look in Sauske's eyes; blood lust, power and greed. He was a totally different person. Naruto had lost his best friend.

Moments after Sasuke left that house, he betrayed their fleet, killing their own men as he fled from his crime. He was never seen again, but rumours over the years spread, more people were getting killed, more kekkai genkais stolen. Naruto knew it was him, he didn't want to believe it, but he knew. He also knew it was only a matter of time before he came after the Hyugas.

Naruto let himself into the house and made his way upstairs. He knew it was Sasuke, he knew he was out there trying to kill Hinata. He couldn't let this happen, he couldn't let another innocent person die. Especially her.

As he stood waiting at he doorway, he first noticed he cheeks, how red they were from crying. It took him by surprise when he saw her chuckle. She did it subconciously, her eyes looking down and lost, but a small smile still played on her lips. Naruto couldn't help himself, he leaned on the doorjamb, a small smile coming to his lips. "What are you laughing about?"


	14. Protection Training

His hair was dripping wet, his clothes so soaked that they left pools of water where he stood. I could see Naruto's eyes looking at me playfully as his lips pulled lightly at the sides. He was leaning on the door jamb casually, like it was something he did often. How did he get inside?

I wiped my eyes carefully, trying to hide the tears. Who was I kidding? It was obvious that I had been crying, and who wouldn't after what I had been told. I had to get stronger, I had to be able to defend myself. I couldn't rely on anyone anymore.

"You're doing it again," Naruto said. I looked at him strangely. "Laughing."

"I-I'm not laughing," I mumbled.

He folded his arms over his chest, his toned arms glistening from the rain water. I felt my cheeks going red. "You are laughing. You've done it twice now. Are you clinically insane?"

My brows furrowed. "What? No."

"I'm kidding," he chuckled. "You know, making a joke?"

I wasn't exactly in the mood for jokes, but he knew that I was upset. Of course he had to know my new situation too, he had to. Maybe he was trying to cheer me up? It wasn't really working.

"So you haven't answered my question," he sighed moving into my room and grabbing the towel that sat on top of my dresser. He began to pat himself dry. "Why are you laughing?"

I watched him as he dried his hair, ruffling the towel over it quickly leaving him with a large blonde mane. He patted it down. I pulled my legs into my chest and began to rub my head. I didn't want to tell him my reasons, I didn't _have_ to tell him my reasons. But maybe he would be able to help me?

"P-Promise you wont laugh?" I asked, looking up to him from the corner of my eyes.

He knelt next to my bed, his blue eyes looking at me with the most trust I had ever seen in them. At that moment he looked like the Naruto I used to know. The Naruto I loved as a young girl. "I promise."

I looked to the ground with embarrassment, my fingers locking around my legs. "I-I need to get stronger. C-can you h-help me?"

Something about Naruto changed. His eyes became stronger, his posture became rigid. He grabbed my hands and pulled them away from my legs. He pushed my legs down so that I was sitting up straight on my bed, my legs hanging off the sides. I was going red every time his fingers touched my bare skin. I was like being touched by an angel.

"You want me help?" He said blandly. "You want to become stronger?" I nodded. "Then start with this."

He stood up, grasping my hand and pulling up along with him. I could feel my heart stammering and my limbs were shaking as he positioned my shoulders. He pushed them down so the were straight, he moved a hand to my back pushing my posture forward towards him. I felt strange being this close to Naruto, this intimate feeling was not what I was expecting. My heart was thumping out of my chest.

Finally he moved a hand to my chin, lifting it up so my eyes were looking straight into his. I was a nervous wreck, the amount of butterflies in my stomach were phenomenal. I never thought I would ever be this close to Naruto, I never thought he would ever touch me like this. I gulped.

"If you want to become stronger there is only one thing you need," he smiled a little, his had leaving my chin then making its way down the side of my neck. "Confidence."

"W-What?" I stammered.

He moved a little closer biting his bottom lip slightly. "You're already strong. You just need to be confident."

At that moment I felt like I understood what he meant. I could never be as strong as Hanabi, or Neji but I could try. If I was more confident, if I believed in myself more I would have a better chance.

"I don't think I know how," I whispered.

Naruto inhaled deeply and rested his forehead against mine. His hands held onto my arms tightly, his wet clothes pressed against my dry body. I thought it was my heart that was beating out of control, but it wasn't. It was Naruto's and I could feel it through my entire body. "Like this," he whispered.

He leaned even closer than I thought was possible and I felt his lips touch mine. They were soft and gentle tasting like sweet strawberries. My eyes closed lightly as he kissed me again my whole body melting into his as he cupped my face. I began to kiss him back as he became more rough, more passionate. I opened my mouth slightly as our tongues danced together.

It was like a dream come true, I was kissing Naruto and he was kissing me back.

As he pulled me in tighter, I fell backwards onto the bed, his body falling on top of mine. The room was then filled with light hearted laughter.

"I'm sorry," He whispered to me, moving my hair from my face. I closed my eyes at his touch. "I didn't mean to."

As I exhaled I could feel his chest beating against mine. It was like we were both in sync. I opened my eyes, only to be met my his blue orbs that looked at me with such a passion. For a moment it felt like I couldn't breath; I never thought I would be caught in a moment like this, especially with Naruto. I gulped slightly.

"I-I'm not sorry..." I mumbled. Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion. "For the k-kiss."

He raised his brows as if he understood, a small smile coming to his lips. He ran his thumb over my bottom lip lightly and I could feel my stomach twisting in knots. What was this feeling? These butterflies that jolted in my core at his touch?

"Then I'm not sorry, either," He said lightly, kissing me again like he had wanted to do it for so long. "I want to help you. I want to protect you."

I looked away from him for a moment as he reminded me of the real situation at hand. There was a serial killer out for me and there was no one protecting me anymore. The police didn't want to help me, my cousin couldn't help me; I had to help myself. "I-I cant let you do that, N-Naruto," I whispered. "I need to get stronger, I can't let you get i-involved."

He grunted lightly, a smirk coming to his lips. "You don't understand, Hinata. I'm already involved. The moment he started threatening you," he looked away slightly. "I've been involved from the beginning. I have been tracking him. I know where he is."

I flinched. "Y-you know where Sasuke is?"

I couldn't believe it. If this was true, then that meant there was a chance that I was going to be able to survive this. I had the upper hand on him, I could save myself.

"Don't talk about him now," Naruto grunted. "I want to talk about you. You want to get stronger? I want to help you."

I smiled and I could feel myself beginning to blush again. Naruto ran his hand through my dark hair and I raised a shaky hand to his olive skin. He melted into my hand as I touched him, like a small puppy wanting to be pet for so long. I pulled my hand away from him quickly.

Looking into his eyes, I could see it, I could see the affection he had for me. How long had it been there for? Had he felt this way for awhile? No, he couldn't have. The way he acted around me, he was so distant and kept himself at bay. If he was interested in me, surely he would have said something sooner.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

"Why are you here?" I asked quietly. "How long have you been wanting to... k-kiss me.." I felt myself go red.

Naruto stood up, his wet shirt clinging to his body and hugging all the right places. He ran his hand through his blond locks in a frustrated manner, his eyes closed. "I have been working on your case for sometime, Hinata. I couldn't do anything."

"You want to protect me?" I sat up, holding my hands over my chest.

"More than anything in this world."

With eyes as large as an adoring puppy, I looked up to him with all the courage and hope I could muster. "Then please, train me. I want to protect myself."


	15. Training

"Do you really think this is a good idea, Hinata?"

Neji stood a fair distance away from me as I striked at the punching bag. My face was flush as I could see him in my peripheral vision, seemingly worried. I paused. "Of course I do," I said in between puffs. "If the police can't protect me, I need to protect myself."

"I can protect you," Neji retorted, his dark hair framing his pale face. "I don't need this job."

I let my hands rest at my sides, my straps tight on my skin as I could feel the blood rushing to my fingertips. "You do need this job. I can't let you throw away your career."

"I can't let you throw away you life."

I growled under my breath. I was growing sick of this nonsense, his constant urge to want to protect me like I was a small child. I wanted to grow, I wanted to become stronger; not just because of Sasuke, but because it was going to help me as a person. I wanted to make Hanabi proud.

"Neji, please don't say things like that. I'm not throwing my life away."

"God damn it, Hinata!" He slammed his fist against the wall. I jumped slightly, seeing the fierce look in his pale eyes. "I'm not letting you do this, this man is a wanted criminal! He is a mass murderer!"

"So you suggest I sit here and do nothing to protect myself?" I yelled back, my fists held tight at my sides. "I'm not a little girl anymore. I need to be able to look after myself. At least be able to fend him off, even if its for a minute."

"Hanabi was trained in martial arts," Neji said through gritted teeth. "And even she was not able to fend him off. What in gods name makes you think that you will be able to?"

Our pale eyes both stared into each others with glares that could have made any child cry. I could see how tense Neji was, his shoulders held tight while is chest moved readily from his heavy breathing.

I turned my back to him, focusing my attention back at the punching back. With every strike I took I imagined Sasukes face. With every kick I made I imagined him falling to the ground in front of me. My byakugan was beginning to come forward, the chakra forming behind my eyes as I become more and more furious.

I was going to beat Sasuke. I was going to survive.

* * *

><p>It had been a couple of days since my argument with Neji. He wouldn't talk to me, let alone look at me. Every time I tried to make conversation with him he would grunt or growl, making no attempt to acknowledge that I was even there.<p>

I wondered if he understood how much it hurt; to be ignored by someone that you loved so much. We were all that each other had, my sister was gone and so was my father. Neji had no parents and Tenten wasn't exactly around anymore. All we had was each other and being constantly ignored by him tug at my heart like he couldn't imagine.

"He doesn't mean it," Naruto said to me. "He's just concerned. He knows he cant do anything to help."

I stood shyly with my arms across my chest, not looking at Naruto as he stood in front of me. I looked at him slightly, but averted my eyes fast; all I could think about when I looked at him was those small kisses he would place on me. I had the drastic urge to kiss him right here, right now, even though the circumstances weren't right.

"It doesn't mean he cant... t-talk to me," I said under my quietly.

Naruto saw that I was upset and he came forwards, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I flinched slightly, looking up to him with big eyes. He was smiling at me. I went completely red.

"It doesn't mean he doesn't care, Hinata. If anything hes more upset with me."

"W-Why you?" I questioned.

He chuckled a little, pulling a kunai out of his pocket. He began to twirl it on his finger before throwing it towards a tree. The kunai stuck in the tree, a small spider impaled. "I no longer work for the Konoha police. I quit."

"N-Naruto!" I said angrily. "Why did you do that?"

He walked over to the kunai, pulled it out of the tree and watched the spider wall to the ground. Placing it back in his pocket he smiled at me devilishly. "You need to be protected, right? Besides, who else can take on Sasuke?"

"I d-don't like the idea of p-people quitting their jobs for me..." I mumbled.

Naruto kissed my forehead as if I had said the most stupidest thing he had heard all day. "Ready to train?"

With flushed cheeks I nodded.


End file.
